Simpering Banshee Bitch
by Banpaia Bara
Summary: The Hero perished in the Spire and now a woman comes from Wraith's Marsh with the blessings of the Banshee determined to learn how to defend herself she goes to the only man in Bloodstone who can properly handle a gun. The only trouble is that he is not interested in what she is proposing.
1. Chapter 1

**Please note for the purpose of this story some details of the original story have been altered to meet the purposes of this fanfiction. No rights reserved, Copywrite Lion Head Studios.**

Simpering Banshee Bitch (SBB)

Chapter 1:

Fluffykins waited at the top of the hill looking out over the docks and to the ocean where far beyond reasonable swimming distance stood the Tattered Spire, which in the ten years that had passed since his mistress went willing into its clutches had become rather less tattered and more like a really tall tree whose branches reached high into the sky and beyond the clouds. Fluffykins looked over at the old woman Theresa as she walked up to stand next to him, strange that she had not come with Fluffykins before but she did now. Fluffykins knew though, he knew his mistress would return soon. He knew that his waiting would finally be over, and perhaps just perhaps she would throw his ball for him.

Fluffykins gave a small whine as he thought back to the happy times when he would follow his Mistress on her adventures. He would find her treasure and each time he did she would play with him, scratching his belly and tossing that wonderful red ball. The same ball that Fluffykins now guarded as it sat on the ground between his two front paws.

Yes the tall strong woman Hammer tried to play with Fluffykins, even the old woman Theresa tossed the ball for him occasionally, but it was not the same. They were not her; they were not the girl who saved him from hateful children. They were not the girl who reached out to him when her body was broken and her soul consumed by grief. They were not his Mistress.

Fluffykins' ears perked up as a familiar sound of an opening portal and before the light began to shine on the docks he had picked up his ball and was racing down towards the docks with extreme joy, she was back! She was finally back! She would hug him and then throw that ball for him.

When the light cleared there was a dark skinned man who had will marks all over his body, much like his Mistress. Fluffykins nosed around the man and whined searching for his Mistress. He could smell her, the strange man had her scent on him. But his Mistress was nowhere to be found. Theresa reached the dock and spoke.

"Garth where is Sparrow?" The man Garth was injured blood running down his arm which hung limply at his side.

"The Hero, she didn't make it." Garth said with a groan as he stumbled slightly.

"Come with me, I will take you somewhere safe." Theresa said offering Garth her hand. The man grudgingly took her hand and they disappeared in a portal. Fluffykins dropped his red ball with a wailing howl of sorrow. The red ball rolled from the dock and into the ocean bobbing lightly in the dark waters lost to Fluffykins as was his Mistress.

The Banshee was old, even by the standards that Banshee's counted time. She floated in her tattered red robes. Robes that were red with the grief of loss that she had died with. Banshee's summoned their wraith children with the wrath they held of the child they lost in life. In truth they were spirits of wrath and sorrow. Each were left wandering unable to rest with the injustice life had dealt them. That was why they killed the living as some sort of vengeance. This one did not know why she still lingered in the marsh. She had been a woman of Oakvale and the ruins of the village that was once her home brought only memory and sorrow. She wandered the furthest reaches of the marshes avoiding the village but not straying beyond the boundaries of the land, its landscape suited her like no other. The fog followed her as she drifted and her gaze wandered until it paused on a form. It was a dirty body, not a hollow man. The Banshee wandered over to the form preparing to summon the wraiths and slaughter the person. First she would take the time to torment the person, take their fears and torment them with them. The banshee focused on the form of the girl lying in the mud and searched her mind for her fears and her regrets and found…nothing. The banshee was confused for a moment and searched the girls mind again. There was nothing, no memories no regrets.

Cautiously the banshee reached out and turned the girl over to look at her face this caused the banshee to pause. The girl was young very young to be wandering the marshes, she very close cropped hair that was choppy as if it had been done in a hurry. What the banshee could tell her hair would have been blond had it not been covered in mud. The girl was half starved and she looked like she had been beaten an inch from death. Yet the girls face was familiar, the girl looked like her Briga, the daughter who was taken by the shadow court when the town was sacrificed.

"My daughter, you have been returned to me, my Briga." The Banshee took the girl in her arms and took her off into the fog. It would be half a year before anyone saw Briga again.

~O~

Briga ran through the marsh and leapt over a broken fence stretching one leg before her as the other rose up behind to avoid clipping on the fence. Her short uneven hair flying behind her as she went making her feel like she was almost flying then her feet touched down splashing in the swampy water. She wore no shoes but had tattered pants and a patched shirt. A thick belt held the hem of the shirt down and the pants up. Both articles of clothing were too large for her slight frame the belt was the only real thing keeping the clothing on her. It hid her form in the mass of old cloth that was stained.

This was of no consequence to her at the moment for it was the hollow men that followed her she had hoped that she would have lost them by now but it seemed that they were more focused today than they were most days. It didn't matter to Briga she only had to keep her distance from them, and in this task she was talented. She was a fast girl and had always been able to run and dodge faster than anything in the marsh had been able to attack. Though while she was a fast person she had no hope in fighting and if she was caught she was sure that she would not be able to survive. Briga jumped and putting her hand back behind her she Pushed with the strange power she commanded and was thrown over the wreckage of a broken cart landing in the center of Oakvale. Here she stopped turning to face the hollow men her break quick. The slowed slightly seeing she was no longer running and began to circle around her. Just before they began to attack a thick fog came swiftly down upon the group and Briga. There was a wail from a banshee and then the groaning cries of the hollow men dying. Several of the knife wielding wraiths ran through the fog and past Briga returning to their banshee mother. Briga turned around to face the old robes of the banshee who summoned the wraiths.

"Mother." Briga said acknowledging the banshee who drifted forward.

"Briga you know better than to provoke the hollow men." She said her voice rasping and weary.

"Mother I didn't mean to provoke them. Honestly I was only trying to find some rope for fixing the roof." The fog thickened even more so and Mother looked to her side where another banshee appeared.

"Stop stalling, the time has come." Briga looked between Mother and the other banshee. Mother tilted her head slightly in agreement with the other banshee and looking back to Briga said.

"Briga, we have decided that you must learn to defend yourself. We are not eternal and can be killed; you must be able to protect yourself when we can no longer do so." Briga frowned at this, they had never spoken like this to her before and the fact that they were doing so now was concerning.

"Why are you saying this?" Briga asked and Mother looked to the other banshee for a moment then back to Briga.

"Two of us were slain yesterday when someone was passing through the marsh. We do not know who they are or where they have gone now but we were not strong enough to stop them and if the living can kill us then they can kill you. You must be able to defend yourself."

"Ok so you can teach me to summon the wraiths like you do." Briga said trying to not think so much on the fact that two of her family had been murdered just yesterday and she did not know about it until now.

"It does not work that way my daughter. Only a banshee can summon the wraiths. You still live and must fight as the living do. This we cannot teach you." The other banshee moved forward and Briga noticed that she held something in her hands.

"So what must we do?" Briga asked confused, since as long as she could remember she had lived in the marsh with the banshee's that lived there as her family. Not every banshee had a name that Briga knew but there were a few Mother, Auntie, and Elizabeth. Many of the banshee's did not wish to go by the names that they had when they lived and so they would not give Briga any name to call them by. The three she knew by name were the three that had nursed her back to health when she was ill. They had said she was their daughter that the gods had returned to them and that was why she could not remember anything before she came to the marsh.

"We cannot help you with this. You must go to the town Bloodstone from there you must find someone to teach you to fight." The banshee said handing a wrapped bundle that she held to Mother. Mother held the bundle out to Briga and said.

"This is what we can provide you with." Briga took the bundle and unwrapped it to reveal a pistol and a necklace of uneven creamy white beads that was wrapped around the pistol.

"The pistol is from before this place was a marsh and before we were banshee, the necklace is our gift to you, keep it always with you and know that we are with you when you wear it." Mother said the sorrow in her voice clear as she watched Briga put the necklace on and turn the pistol over in her hands.

"Who would teach me to use this though?" Briga asked looking up at the banshees. They did not say anything to answer her question but Mother said.

"You should go to the town now, if you wish to return to us please do so. We are not banishing you. Our oaths will last until the end of time." Though they said that she was welcome to return to the marsh with them Briga could not help but feel as if this was good bye. She looked down at the gun and nodded slightly realizing something that they had known since they found her. She would not be able to stay with them forever and the time had come for Briga to leave the marsh.

"I will come back when I have learned to fight." Briga said to the banshee and started towards the rout that would take her to Bloodstone. Mother and the banshee followed Briga as she went the fog that surrounded them grew increasingly thick as more of the banshee that lived in the marsh joined the procession. As Briga neared the last bridge that led out of the marsh the fog was so thick that she was unable to see anything around her. The banshees formed a line to lead her through the thick fog and marsh upon reaching the other side of the bridge she turned back to look upon her family who were all gathered in the thick fog watching her with an air of sorrow. She was the child they lost that turned them into banshees and now she was leaving them again. Briga held up her hand to them for a moment before she turned and disappeared into the fog. When Briga made it to the cliff road that the marsh let out to a fog hung over the lower reached of the town and clung to the surface of the ocean. Regardless of the fact that it was late afternoon the fog was increasing as it rolled in from the sea. Briga suspected that the fog that hung over the town currently was aided by the banshees that had followed her to the edge of the town.

She walked down into the town and was nearly overwhelmed by the number of people who moved about and how many of them offered her sex for a 'small price'. Briga rejected them and eventually found her way into the bar and sat on the stool with a sigh. She was still overwhelmed by how hectic the town seemed.

"You look stressed out; I could help you relax if you want." A prostitute said with a smile as she slid seductively into the stool next to Briga. Briga looked over at the woman she was busty and had dark hair that was pulled up into a bun; her clothing was revealing and strappy.

"Sorry I am not interested in sex. But could you tell me who is a good shot in town?"

"I might be able to tell you but I have to eat too dear." The prostitute said, Briga sighed and slid three coins to the woman who tucked them into her corset and said.

"The best shot in town is Reaver no doubt, why do you need a good marksman?"

"I want to uh…hire him for a task." Briga said. This caused the prostitute to laugh and say.

"Dear, Reaver doesn't work for anyone but himself. At best a cute lad like yourself might get a quick roll in the hay with him but that is it."

"I am a woman." Briga said the prostitutes eyes widened slightly with shock and laughed.

"Then I don't think you would even get that roll in the hay. He is a lover of beauty, and dear I don't know if you are aware of this but you look and dress like a boy." Briga frowned looking down at her shirt and pants.

"You might want to do something about your looks if you are going to talk to Reaver. He might shoot you for going to him like that. Did they not have any decent clothing where you are from?" The prostitute said.

"There is nothing like what you are wearing if that is what you mean."

"If you want I can take you back to my place and lend you some clothing. You can even stay for a night or two if you want." The prostitute said in an overly friendly way. Something about her tone set off a mental alarm to Briga and she said.

"No, I have a place to stay already. I need to get going though, I'd like to talk to Reaver before it gets too late. Where does he live?" The prostitute held out her hand waiting for more coin.

"Reaver lives in the mansion at the top of the hill. Everyone knows that you don't need to pay the whore for that girly." The bartender said getting a glare from the prostitute. Briga put her coins back in her belt pocket and thanked the bartender before leaving.

Once on the street again she started making her way towards the road that lead up the hill and paused as she saw a clothing shop. She looked down at her clothing again and sighed heavily and went into the shop. The man that ran the shop was crude and dressed much like a prostitute himself.

"Hello hello hello, what can I do for you today?" He asked looking Briga over as she walked in.

"I need something… better to wear." Briga said. The man walked out from behind the counter and looking at her clothing said.

"I would say so, my dear you look dreadful, where did you come from?"

"Wraiths Marsh." Briga said as she walked to a mannequin looking at a common looking shirt and pants.

"The Marsh! My my my that would explain how you look. Hmm you must have been on the road for a long time. Here lets find you a lovely dress to wear."

"Uh no I don't want a dress, I would rather wear trousers and a shirt." Briga said turning to see the man giving her an 'are you kidding me' look.

"You look like a lad in trousers, you need a dress. Here this is a very popular piece at the moment. You would turn heads even with how choppy that hair of yours is." The dress that the man held was hot pink with a corset and the skirt was short in the front and long in the back. It was made to prevent people from enjoying the view from behind but hid very little from the front. Briga made a face and said.

"Can I just try this here on?" Briga said gesturing to the shirt and trousers. The man sighed and said.

"Fine but don't blame me when everyone mistakes you for a lad, that there is going to hide more of your feminine form than what you are wearing now is."

"I don't really care if people think I am a boy I didn't come here to turn people's heads." Briga took the outfit behind a dressing screen and quickly changed. As she was tying the front of the pants and fixing the buttons the shop owner held a pair of boots over the screen.

"But these on too, it's not a good idea to go around without shoes." Taking the boots Briga pulled them on and came out from behind the changing screen. The shop owner looked her over and said.

"If I didn't know better I would say you were a boy. That's what you were trying for though isn't it?" He asked with a sour tone. Briga looked at herself in a tall mirror and agreed with the man as she did look like a man, a rather feminine man, for her face was too soft in feature, but with how short her hair was she simply looked boyish.

"I'll take this." Briga said putting her pistol in the belt holster and tied her coin bag onto the belt next to her pistol.

"I spend my entire life designing beautiful clothing for women and now I am dressing ladies like men! What is the world coming to?" He said as he took Briga's coin. Briga turned to leave and was stopped by the shop owner.

"Here I can't let you leave without something a lady would wear." It was a simple necklace with nothing terribly fancy but the metal chain and the small pendent was more elegant than anything Briga had seen before.

"How much?" Briga asked suspicious of the apparent gift.

"It is for free under the condition that you come back here at some point and let me put you in a dress." Briga laughed at the comment and said taking the necklace and putting it on next to the banshee beads.

"Sure if I ever find myself in need of a dress I will come to you."

"Ah thank you. I will finally get one of my dresses in the damn mansion." He said to himself as Briga left the shop. She made her way up towards the top of the hill still dodging the advances of prostitutes and then some beggars. Finally she reached the mansion at the top of the hill and indeed it was a mansion. Briga was a bit awestruck at the sheer size of the mansion, from its great windows to its manicured gardens and fountain. At the door stood a man who just stood there as if waiting for someone to come as if it was his only job. Briga walked up the stairs to the door way and the man who was waiting.

"Here to see Reaver I suppose? Go on in, he is straight through to the back." The man said with a heavy accent as he gestured over his shoulder to the hallway beyond the door.

"Thanks." Briga said in passing she walked into the mansion and was shocked by how elegant everything was, it made the outside of the mansion look drab by comparison. The carpet she walked on was plush and muffled any sound she made by walking in the new boots. Music echoed through the halls as if there was someone playing an instrument the sound echoing through the halls filling the entire house with its light tune. Briga walked forward down the hall to the door that was closed. Grabbing the embellished brass handle she opened the door. Beyond was a painter standing by their easel working on a portrait of the man who stood in a heroic pose holding his gun up in the air before him. His hair was dark and brushed it shone with the use of some foreign oil. His skin was light and unblemished by wrinkle or sun damage as others around the town were. His features were strong and his eyes gleamed with a devious sparkle in their green color. He wore a fine suit with gold trim and a red cape.

"Well Hello there. What brings you here to see me? Because lets be honest if you are looking for someone in Bloodstone you are looking for me." Reaver said in a smooth voice as he looked over at her from where he was posing.

"Well I-"

"I just forgot! I don't talk to nobodies and that is what you are, a nobody. So run along and make a name for yourself. Help some people, kill some monsters, or kill some people the details aren't important to me." Briga stood there for a moment confused beyond belief at the situation.

"Well run along, scat, vamoose!" Reaver said waving his gun around. Briga still a bit confused left without saying anything and closed the door behind her and stood for a moment trying to figure out what just happened.

"Are you dare implying that my cheek bones are anywhere that low?" Briga heard Reaver through the door shortly after a gunshot sounded off causing Briga to jump in surprise. Briga made her way quickly to the front door for fear of what Reaver had just done in the study. She did not want to be blamed for the murder of the painter.

Ten minutes later Briga found herself sitting at the bar with a pint of disgusting beer that was flat and had been watered down to make the foul drink last longer.

"Reaver turn you down?" The same prostitute from earlier said leaning back against the bar as she looked out over the men meandering around the bar. Briga looked at the woman who looked slightly more disheveled than she did earlier in the day.

"What is your name?"

"I'm Lily, so are you going to answer?"

"I'm Briga. Reaver wouldn't even hear me out. He looked at me and turned me away saying I was a nobody. He wants me to make a name for myself before he will talk to me."

"I told you so, I am glad to see that you got rid of those beggers clothes, a dress would have been better for you. Might have held Reaver's attention longer if you were in a dress." Briga snorted slightly at the comment.

"Somehow I don't think that I being in a dress would matter much. He seems rather wrapped up in himself."

"Sweet heart you won't find yourself a better lover in all of Albion. That man knows women better than they know themselves. In a dress you might have caught his attention and he might have given you some time in a bed." Lily said with a smile across her face as she thought back to her time with Reaver. Briga grimaced and said.

"I don't think I would want his attention like that, he isn't that attractive. Besides I don't need some man whore giving me his diseases." Lily gasped in horror at Briga's words and said.

"You are either blind or a lesbian to not find him magnificent! Why would you not want his attention in any way you can get it?"

"Because I don't need a lover, or a one night stand. Anyway how do I get him to think I am important enough to talk to?"

"I am not sure about being important enough but there are other ways to catch his eye. Maybe attend one of his parties, you know dressed as a woman?"

"I don't want him to think of me as a thing he wants to have sex with or as a woman. If he agrees to what I am wanting then I am going to be spending a rather lot of time with him and it will be easier if he isn't trying to get me into a bed."

"Then I cant help you dear. You know lots of people would like a girl that Reaver hasn't had. Gives them a bit of an ego boost."

"I am not working as a prostitute." Briga said pushing away from the bar and walked away. Before she had even taken two steps Lily had swiped the pint before the bartender could take it away.

Once on the street again Briga turned her attention to the mansion at the top of the hill, she was going to get him to talk to her. Upon reaching the door she found the doorman gone and the house closed up. Briga knocked on the door and after a moment of waiting the door opened and it was the doorman who gave a displeased look at Briga.

"Reaver isn't seeing anyone else tonight." With that he shut the door in Briga's face. Briga debated on knocking again but it then occurred to her that perhaps Reaver had already retired for the night. It was after all long past sunset. Though, perhaps not. Briga could see light from the upper windows.

"You are going to have to talk to me." Briga said as she glared at the upper windows which were lit.

~O~

Reaver had been sleeping soundly with two beautiful people after one of his private parties. Only his beautiful night was disturbed when a sound came at the window. He gave an irritated sigh hoping that it was just some strong wind that had woken him, but he was in no such luck and the sound came again. Then the window was pulled open from the outside. Reaver's Dragonstomper was in his hand in a moment and he waited for the fool who dared to break into his home to show their face. Then he would put a bullet in it.

A face appeared in the window, and in the dark Reaver couldn't tell who it was. Regardless he shot. And the form was gone from the window. The two women in his bed woke with a fright and in cries of alarm fled the room their clothing picked up and clutched to their chests as they ran.

"Don't shoot me!" A voice yelled as the form pulled themselves into the room and dived again when Reaver shot. Reaver frowned, he had missed. Twice. This was not right, Reaver did not miss.

He got up and aimed his pistol at the person while at the same time quite ignoring his nakedness. From the light that filtered in through the hallway from the open door Reaver could make out the short form of the person who was crouched ready to dodge again should he shoot once more.

"I just want to talk." The person said, Reaver frowned there was something familiar about the persons voice. Then he remembered the rather unremarkable person who had come to see him earlier that day. "Just point that somewhere else and we can just talk." Reaver glared at the person but lowered his pistol, the person slowly stood up but was still uneasy. At least that was good, Reaver couldn't have people not fearing him when he was pissed.

"Master Reaver is everything alright?" The doorman said entering the room the candelabra he held illuminating the uninvited guest. Reavers suspicions were correct it was the nobody that had come to see him before.

"Leave the light and go." Reaver said, the doorman looked quickly between Briga and Reaver and then set the candelabra on a table and left.

"So why should I not just shoot you?" Reaver asked in a dangerous tone.

"Uhm…Well I came from Wraith's Marsh and…uhm can you please put something on? You are completely naked." Reaver had at first look thought the person before him to be a very youthful lad, now however he understood what this person was. An innocent woman, dressed as a man with her hair cut far too short to be attractive for a woman. Reaver took slow steps towards the woman a smug smile spread across his face as he watched her panic and back away.

"From Wraith's Marsh. Not everyone can survive Wraith's Marsh, so who are you?" Briga backed away from Reaver's nude form as he stalked towards her. He reminded her of some predator stalking its prey.

"I I'm Briga…" Briga said as the back of her legs hit the sill of the open window. She looked quickly behind her to realize she had nowhere but out the window now to go.

"So you came all of this way for me…" Reaver purred as he stood right before Briga he turned her head to look at him with the barrel of his pistol. Briga blushed deeply at how close he was to her, his green eyes focused on hers intently. The cool metal of the gun rested against her neck just below her jaw. She knew that she would not be able to avoid the bullet if he decided to kill her now. "You should have worn a dress if you wanted my…special attention." He started to lean in towards her his eyes locked with hers.

Before he could place the seduction finally of a kiss on the girl she bolted. Or more accurately fell out the window as she fled. Reaver looked out the window after her; she was already on the ground and sprinting away from his mansion. He had to give it to the girl, she was fast.

~O~

Briga didn't stop running until she reached the docks when she did she leaned against a building trying to catch her breath. The running hadn't taken her breath away but the few moments she had spent talking to Reaver had made her more flustered than anything she could remember. It was a strange feeling that she could not place, a fluttering in her stomach. She had never seen a man naked before, though this was only part of what made her blush. He had been so physically fit, his muscles were well defined and he stood at least a full head and a half taller than her. Thinking back to him illuminated by the candle light caused her to shiver.

"Oh Mother, I am in trouble." Briga whispered out her breath fogging in the cool night.

( Here is the first chapter of SBB, the first of my Fable fanfictions this is fable 2 and involves Reaver so clearly this is rated M from the get go, because I don't think you can have a proper Reaver fic without it being M. I don't know how long this story will be but I intend to have my chapters be somewhere around 5k each.)

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	2. Chapter 2

Simpering Banshee Bitch 2:

Briga walked into the office of Reaver's mansion to see the corpse of yet another painter shot dead for portraying Reaver inaccurately. Reaver looked up to see her walk in, a smug smile crossed his lips when he saw how nervous she was.

"Hello love! Finally plucked up the courage to actually talk to me?"

"Uhm…. Yeah." Briga said side stepping a pool of blood to take a look at the canvas that the painter had been working on before Reaver killed them. It was not a bad painting but it was far from finished. Images of canvases in various stages of completion flashed through Briga's mind and she was momentarily distracted. The sound of a hammer being pulled back and clicking into place brought her back to reality and she had to drop to the ground next to the corpse to avoid a bullet from Reaver.

"Hey! What was that for?"

"Breaking into my home, ruining my lovely night, ignoring me. Take you pick I have killed for less." Reaver said with a nonchalant wave of the pistol. Briga glared at him but got up and said.

"Reaver I have a favor to ask of- shit!" Another gun shot rang out and Briga gave a whimper as she had narrowly dodge the bullet and it tore through the sleeve of her shirt. Reaver frowned at this and said.

"Why should I do anything for you when you wont even give me the pleasure of killing you? I can't have someone running around that I cant kill."

"I just want you to teach me how to shoot. It would be no inconvenience for you and you know it." Reaver openly laughed at this and said.

"Actually I do believe that is the most ridiculous thing anyone has asked of me. There is nothing that is free in the world love. What is in it for me if I do this? I doubt you have anything unique to offer."

"I can paint." Briga blurted out the statement in hopes that Reaver would not shoot at her again. Though even as the words left her mouth they somehow seemed correct; she had fragments of memory of paintings and a town with a clock tower in the center square. Though thinking too much on the memories caused her head to hurt and she could not spend the time to ponder the memories at the moment. Reaver had to give his answer still and Briga feared that he might find this to be useless to him.

"And if you cant paint?" He asked as if he expected her to fail to capture his image.

"If you don't like my painting then I will stand still and you can shoot me. But! You cant look at it until it is done, and you have to teach me how to shoot." Reaver smiled and said.

"How about you do one painting and I wont look at it until you proclaim it is done. If I like it that will be a satisfactory apology for ruining my night and breaking into my home. Then you will continue to paint for me and then I might teach you how to wield that pitiful excuse for a gun at your belt." Briga looked at Reaver trying to decide if he was lying or not and gave a sigh.

"Deal. When do you want to start?"

"Go on a take that brush there and we will see if you are going to die or not." Reaver said with a smile putting a foot on a box that was in the room and took the same heroic pose he had held when Briga had first met him. Briga frowned and gave her an irritated look.

"Well go on, paint."

"I am not painting next to a dead body. Cant you get one of your lackeys to take this away? Hey! Don't you shoot me!" Briga said as she saw Reaver shift how he held his gun slightly preparing to fire. Reaver gave an irritated expression then said.

"You want it gone, move it yourself." Briga looked between the corpse and Reaver. She could have moved the body but she knew that from where the easel was placed that Reaver could see the painting in progress; which was probably the reason that the artist had been shot in the first place. Reaver watched her expecting Briga to move the body but frowned slightly when instead she took hold of the easel and dragged it about the room moving to a different angle.

"What are you doing?" Reaver asked as he watched her settle the easel to where she had moved it to nearly the other side of the room.

"I am not moving a dead body and you aren't going to have an angle of the canvas while I am working. We have a deal and you cant look."

"Are you presuming to know what my good side is?"

"There is no such thing as a good side. And if I do my job then it wont matter."

"You are terribly confident in your abilities."

"I don't intend to get shot and I am not leaving without knowing how to shoot a pistol." Briga said setting the half worked canvas aside and picked another blank one and started to work. A short while in one of Reaver's men knocked then came into the study. He looked quickly between the dead body and Briga then spoke to Reaver.

"Master Reaver we have finished cutting away the ivy from the mansion."

"Ah good, clean that up will you?" He said gesturing his gun at the dead painter and the blood stain that had seeped into the rug. Briga lowered her brush waiting for Reaver to resume his pose. She stifled a sigh, he was a terrible model as he did not stand still and would often move to make a gesture and smart remark. The man dragged the body out of the room and Briga looking at the rug was convinced that it was a lost cause with how much the blood had seeped in and how long it had sat there.

"Are you going to continue working?" Reaver asked and Briga looked at him taking her eyes away from the stained rug.

"This is all that I can do for today." Briga said taking a piece of oil damp cloth and gently draped it over the canvas.

"Why?"

"Because you are getting fidgety and you aren't paying me for this so I am not going to work nonstop."

"My pet you are paying off a debt so you will work until I tell you that you can stop." Briga covered her pallet with another oiled cloth and dropped the paint covered brushes into a jar filled with a solution that was meant to clean them if left soaking.

"I am not your pet and if you want a good painting you can't work me nonstop."

"I could work you in bed if that is preferable to you…" Reaver said leaving his place where he was posing and started towards Briga. Before he could close in on her she was away from the corner and half way to the door before he could try to trap her in the room.

"I will see you tomorrow Reaver." Briga said leaving the house with a quick step. Once free of the decadence of the mansion she took a deep breath of the salt wind that came from the sea. Briga didn't have any place in the town that she could actually go. She was low on money as it was and the tavern/bar was extremely expensive to rent a room. She suspected it was due to the fact that most of the men took the prostitutes they hired there. Regardless of the reason she had been unable to afford a room even for a night. So she made her way towards the marshes intending as she had the other night to return to their quiet safety.

"Briga! You're not dead! I was sure you would be after what I heard about." Lily said running to catch up with Briga.

"What do you mean?"

"You breaking into Reaver's house! That was stupid, you are so lucky that you aren't dead. What did you do to keep him from killing you?" Briga looked at Lily, the prostitute was very eager for information but Briga was no fool she would not risk damaging Reaver's ego or reputation by claiming the ability to dodge his attacks.

"I made him a very tempting offer." Briga said, this caused Lily to grin from ear to ear.

"Dangerous way to get into his bed I must say. I don't think that I could be so daring."

"That is not what happened at all. I agreed to do a painting of him under the condition that he doesn't look at it until it is done." At this Lily laughed so hard that she nearly fell over.

"You are stupid! There is no one with a shorter life expectancy than an Artist to Reaver. He had killed at least half a dozen artists in the past two weeks. You just put yourself on the short list dear."

"I don't think so. If he keeps his word and doesn't look at the painting until I am done I am confident that I will survive this."

"Reaver doesn't do anything unless he gains from it. I don't expect you to live out the week. Hey where are we heading anyway?" Lily asked as they walked past the bar and towards the cliff path to the marshes.

"I am heading back to the Marsh, why?"

"Because no one goes to the Marsh let alone come back from it."

"It is where I stayed last night."

"Are you serious? I know you don't like the idea of staying at a whore house but lets be honest it is safer than the marshes."

"I am not going to be indebted to a whore house. We both know what will happen to me if I end up owing a whore house." Lily didn't say anything to Briga knowing that she was right.

"Alright well, stop by the bar sometime if you survive all the crap you are doing. You interest me."

"Alright." Briga said giving Lily a small wave and then left for the marsh. Upon entering the fog Briga gave a deep sigh letting go of all the tension she held while in the town.

"Did you speak to that man today?" Mother asked coming forth from the fog and neared Briga.

"Yes, I spoke with him and we have an arrangement. He will teach me if I can paint accurate portraits of him." Mother tilted her head slightly as she could sense fragments of memory that her daughter did not have before. The banshee knew that the girl would change drastically when she went to the town and was concerned that she would become the same as any other person who wandered through the marsh. If that occurred then the oaths that the banshee made would not hold.

"How long do you think you will be in the town before you can return to us?"

"I don't know, honestly I think that this is going to take longer than either of us expected."

"Please be careful, I do not want to lose you to this place."

"You wont, I would not stay there if I have any choice."

~O~

When Briga returned the next morning to the mansion the doorman stopped her before she could go in.

"You have to come back later; Master Reaver is not yet up." Briga frowned at the man and said.

"It is nearly ten in the morning, how is he not yet up?"

"He is still with his guests, hey! No wait!" The Doorman called after Briga who had stepped around him and entered the house. She went first to the study where she noted that the blood stain was completely gone from the rug and that the cloth covering the painting had been disturbed.

"That ass, he broke our deal." Briga said then turned and stalked out of the room and towards the stairs.

"Please Master Reaver will shoot us both for waking him."

"I don't care if he is pissed about getting woken up. He is not going to waste my time and I am here now so he can get up." Briga strode through the house knowing roughly where Reaver's room was from when she broke in. She opened a door to find it was dark inside. A large bed full of people and the drapes shut against the morning sun.

"Please don't!" The doorman pleaded in a whisper. Briga however ignored him and went into the room and threw the drapes open filling the room with light. The people who were piled upon each other groaned in annoyance and tried to roll away from the light. This was to no use however as Briga threw the other drapes open. She turned to see Reaver glaring at her many of the prostitutes started to gather their things and left.

"Briga what are you doing? It's soooo rude." Lily grumbled as she rubbed her face with her hand and slid out of the bed being the last one to leave Reaver.

"Get up Reaver." Briga said ignoring Lily, she had no interest in seeing the naked body of her sort of friend.

"Are you ordering me?"

"Yes, get up I am here to finish the painting and You are not going to waste my time."

"Make me." Reaver said the challenge clear in his expression. From the hall the doorman watched nervous expecting Reaver to shoot the woman. At the challenge Briga turned on her heel and left the room. Reaver smiled and settled down into his bed and closed his eyes to drift back to sleep. A moment later he could head the light footsteps of Briga returning. He expected her to just complain some more at him so he didn't even bother to look at her. It was only when he heard the doorman give a nervous and panicked sound that he opened his eyes to be hit in the face with freezing cold water. As soon as the water hit him was followed by the sound of a vase dropping onto the plush carpet and feet leaving the room. Reaver pulled his gun and shot after Briga knowing that his bullet would not hit her.

"Bitch." Reaver growled as he got up hastily pulling on some pants and pushed past his doorman Jeffry and ran after Briga. He would make her pay for that. He looked at the main door expecting it to be hanging open and for Briga to be racing through town, only this was not the case it was still closed.

"Reaver" Briga's voiced called to him from the study. Glare still set on his face he walked into the study gun raised and ready to shoot her. She stood next to the easel waiting for him. He pointed his gun at her and prepared to start shooting trying to think of the possible movements she would take to avoid the bullets.

"Don't do that, you would ruin the painting more than you already have. You cheated." Briga said calmly.

"And that is justification to soak me in freezing water?" Reaver growled at her, he was trying to avoid shivering but he had to admit he was cold.

"Yes it was punishment; those who break their word get punished." Briga tried to prevent herself from smiling at Reaver's appearance. He was soaked to the bone his hair tussled and dripping. His arms shook lightly with a chill.

"And what my quick little minx did I do to deserve punishment?" Reaver said walking forward and lowered his gun slightly. It wasn't so much out of mercy or self-control that he did not shoot Briga, more that he did not want to be reminded that she could dodge him. That she was faster than he.

"You looked at the painting. The thing about the oiled cloth is that it keeps the paint wet but it also holds onto the color so when you move the cloth it takes some paint with it. You did not place a new cloth on it and you have smeared the paint. Look." Briga removed the cloth to show the half-finished painting to Reaver, the paints had been smeared and what had been a promising painting was ruined.

"How are you so sure that it was me who looked?" Reaver said quite close to Briga causing her to take a half step back and said.

"Who else would dare ruin your painting?" Briga glanced at Reaver then took another step away from him. The half dressed man was far too close for her liking and she was not entirely sure that he would not try to shoot her again.

"There are better ways to punish someone than to soak their bed in ice water. I do not mind taking my punishments in bed however." Reaver said turning on her.

"Would you stop that? Go get dressed and let me try to salvage this."

"You worry too much over paint." Reaver grumbled as he sauntered off. Briga gave a sigh and looked at the painting wondering just how she would survive Reaver. He was either trying to bed her or kill her and it seemed that much of the time he could not decide.

Looking at the painting Briga sighed, it was not that damaged it really just required a bit of smoothing to fix but she would not tell Reaver this. It would be better for him to think that it took a great deal of effort to salvage the painting.

As it turned out Briga did not have to worry about making Reaver believe she was working hard to fix the painting as he took nearly an hour to get dressed. When he did return he was still in a slightly sour mood but made no comment on her method of waking him up.

"For you wanting me to give my expertise in marksmanship to you I think you are off to a poor start at getting on my good side."

"You needed a shower after sleeping with those whores anyway." Briga said as she started to work on the painting while Reaver took his pose.

"Oh yes I forgot, you have never been with anyone before. Of course a little virgin would think something as pleasing as a bed full of beautiful people was dirty." Briga blushed slightly at the words, she was quite certain that she was a virgin but having it pointed out by the most promiscuous man she had ever met made her feel rather embarrassed.

"Please stand still. You have already made this task harder than it needs to be." Briga was avoiding the comment and they both knew why. Reaver was correct and she did not want to admit it. Reaver gave an exaggerated sigh as he resumed posing.

Not even an hour passed before Reaver moved from where he had been posing. Holstering his Dragonstomper he made his way to the hall.

"Hey where are you going? I'm not done yet." Briga said setting her brush aside and followed him.

"You may not be done but I am for the moment. A man has to eat after entertaining so many people. This wouldn't have been a problem if you had not arrived so early."

"I got here at ten that is hardly early." Reaver gave a shrug and walked to an ornate dining room where food had been placed around one end with a place set up at the head of the table.

"You of course are welcome to join me. I am nothing if not a proper host." Briga eyed him suspiciously but he did not look at her as he went to the head of the table and sat himself down before starting to place various kinds of food on his plate. Finally he poured himself a cup of wine setting the bottle aside he looked at Briga.

"Are you going to join me?" He asked the challenge clear in his voice as he waited expectantly. Briga rather reluctantly sat in one of the chairs that ran the side of the table. A man who Briga had not seen before entered the room carrying another dining set and placed it before Briga then wandered away just as quickly as he came.

"How many people are here working for you?" Briga asked turning her attention to Reaver who swirled his wine around in the glass.

"I have at least two dozen here at all time, but you won't ever see so many even at my parties my guests' only see roughly six of my men in the entire night. Makes it all the more mysterious doesn't it?" Reaver said a smirk gracing his lips and Briga caught herself staring at him, she quickly looked to the food that was set out and picked a few pieces of fruit placing them on her plate. She had no fewer than three forks and spoons along with two knifes placed around the plate. She had never seen so many utensils placed out for a single meal and the concept of needing so many baffled her. She opted to ignore the utensils and taking her apple bite into it.

"So what is it you do in the marshes each night?" Reaver asked ignoring her impolite table manners as he also ate.

"You had someone follow me?" Briga asked a bit astonished.

"Naturally, though the fools were too frightened to actually follow you into the marshes. So what do you do in there?"

"I go home. I live there with my family."

"Love no one lives in the marshes. It's filled with all sorts of nasty things that would kill you. So stop lying to me." Reaver said in a low threatening tone.

"I am not lying. I live there with the banshee and they are my family." Reaver looked quite shocked for a moment when he heard this then he smiled.

"And how does one become family to a banshee?" Briga shrugged.

"They are all I remember, since I woke up there. About six months ago I suppose."

"How intriguing." Briga watched Reaver for a moment as he was lost in thought. She had never considered her situation to be odd but now she realized that perhaps it was odd. Reaver certainly thought it was, and she was sure that at the moment he was debating on how useful it could be to him. Whether he decided that it was useful or not he went back to his food and dropped the topic. Briga finished her apple and other fruit before Reaver was done and waited for him. When he set his fork down Briga asked.

"You done?"

"All but for dessert." He said as he stood intending to finally catch hold of Briga. Though the words were too much of a warning because Briga was up and out of the dining room as soon as he finished his sentence. Reaver grumbled to himself, he would catch her at some point and when he did he was not letting her go. It was pride that drove him to have Briga, she was the only woman who had not fallen into his arms as soon as he decided to seduce her. She was a quick little minx that he would have, and if he could not have her he would put a bullet in her. Though both tasks would be harder to achieve than he initially thought.

Returning to the study he found Briga waiting for him by the easel he gave a sigh and took his pose again. He was becoming quite tired of standing in that pose for so long. True he had looked at the painting after she had left hoping that it would be worse than the others who tried to capture his image but this was not the case and what he had seen was very promising. It had initially made him slightly disappointed that he would probably not get to shoot her but it was a win win situation for him. If she failed he would finally get to shoot her if she succeeded then he finally had a proper portrait of himself.

"Reaver stand still please. I am almost done and the more you move the longer this is going to take." Briga said after a moment and he shot her a warning look but tried to stand still. It was no wonder that people hated getting their portraits done it was an incredibly dull process. When about an hour had passed Briga placed her brush in the glass jar and took a step back looking quickly between Reaver and the canvas.

"Alright, its done." She said her voice nervous which made Reaver smile. He strode over to her grabbing her arm so that she could not escape him if he decided to shoot her. To his pleasure she did not shy away from this action, it was a rare thing to find someone who would honor their agreements in Bloodstone. Then Reaver looked at the painting and stood silent for a moment. He searched the painting for any flaw that she had committed upon his looks but found none. He frowned. How could a girl from the marsh living with banshees be this skilled of a painter? He hated to admit it but the girl had done what no other artist Reaver had hired was able to do. She had captured his perfection on the canvas.

"So what do you think?" Briga asked softly, Reaver had to admit that he did not want to kill this little gem he had found. He planned on keeping her busy until he had all of the paintings of himself that he could ever wish for. That did not mean he couldn't scare her a little first.

He turned on her and pulled her close placing the end of the barrel of the Dragonstomper just under her jaw. She looked him directly in the eye and though Reaver saw no fear in her eyes she had started shaking slightly. Yes she was scared to die even if she was willing herself not to show it.

"I have wanted to put a bullet in you since you came through my window." Reaver whispered to her leaning in close Briga could feel his breath against her neck. Reaver's smile grew as he ran his tongue across her neck before kissing the skin biting slightly. Briga tried to pull away but Reaver's hold on her arm tightened keeping her in place.

"Just kill me." Briga said her voice barely audible Reaver smiled down at her forcing her to look up at him with his gun.

"I am not going to kill you just yet. You my little pet are coming to my party tonight however, and you will wear a dress or nothing at all." With those words Reaver let her go a smile still on his lips as Briga fled the room. Oh yes it would be a fun night.

~O~

Briga ran from the mansion rubbing her hand against her neck where Reaver had assailed her trying to remove the feeling of what he had done. She had not wanted Reaver so close to her and she was certain that she did not want to attend one of his parties. She however still needed him to teach her how to use a gun and that meant spending more time with him. By the time Briga made it to the bar and ordered a pint of the disgusting beer word was already spreading that Reaver was holding a party.

"Is this all they care about? A stupid party." Briga muttered as she took a drink from the pint and grimaced. She had looked for better drink in the town and this as far as she could tell was the only place you were not at risk of getting drugged. Probably because the owner was too cheap to spike the drinks with anything.

"Are you going to the party?!" Lily said flopping down on the bar stool next to Briga causing her to jump in surprise.

"Uh, yea I guess. Reaver expects me there. Is there any reason for this party?"

"Dear, Reaver doesn't need a reason to have a party. But you must tell me how you are not dead yet! I seriously expected to find you dead in an alley way, waking Reaver up like that."

"I thought he was going to kill me today also. Turns out he likes my painting, and messing with my head."

"Really? You actually made a painting of him that he liked. That is news!"

"Yea he thought it was entertaining as all get out to put that gun of his to my head and pretend he was going to kill me though. He bruised my arm I think." Briga rubbed her arm absently before seeing the look Lily was giving her. She wanted more details.

"He held onto my arm so I couldn't run off if he didn't like the painting."

"You make it sound like he would have missed if he wanted to kill you. Dear, Reaver never misses." Lily said in a somber tone, Briga assumed that Lily had seen someone die from Reaver's shot. Briga decided to change to subject to something a bit lighter in topic.

"Are you planning on going to the party?" At this Lily returned to her jovial mood and said with a bright smile that showed her teeth.

"Most certainly! I already have the dress I am going to wear! A beautiful thing of red with black lace. Hopefully it catches his eye." Lily said fantasizing about Reaver noticing her in the masses of people that would attend the party.

Briga let Lily drift into her own little world and thought about just wearing what she had to the party. Then Reavers came back to her 'a dress or nothing at all' she had no doubt that he would keep his word on that statement which was both promise and threat.

"Maybe I won't go." Briga mused out loud, the words causing Lily to come back to reality in a heartbeat.

"Oh no you must go! If Reaver said he expected you to be there then you have to go!"

"He doesn't own me. I can choose to not go if I want."

"You are already pushing it with Reaver, if you don't go he might take it out on everyone there. You are not going just because he wants you there, you are going to ensure that he doesn't get pissed off and take it out on everyone else."

"Would he seriously take out on everyone else just because one person he wanted there didn't show up?"

"Yes. There was once a working lady who decided that she was going to play games with Reaver and didn't go to a party when he invited her. She instead spent the night working and he killed six women at the party before he found the woman and killed her and the man she was with. Poor things and the party didn't even know the woman but since they were also working women they were blamed." Briga paled slightly, Reaver was a monster. She realized that perhaps what she was doing trying to get Reaver to teach her how to use a gun was more dangerous of a task than she ever imagined. Though the story Lily told her made one fact very apparent. She was not going to piss Reaver off by not showing up at the party.

"I need a dress." Briga muttered as Lily took her mostly full pint and started drinking it.

"Oh I know a great place that you can get a beautiful dress! Want me to take you there?"

"No, I have a deal with a shop owner for a dress. I guess I will see you at the party." Briga said standing.

"Ok, see you there." Lily said as Briga left the bar. The street was buzzing with people rushing about. Food was being carted from the docks up the hill to Reaver's mansion and women were flocked to a dress shop all trying to get in and buy a dress. Others were getting their hair done at salon. Some men were even rushing about in various states of preparation for the party. Briga wove her way through the crowds to the clothing shop up the hill where she had bought her shirt and trousers. The place was practically dead. There were a few people inside buying gentlemen's clothing but it was nowhere near as busy as the shops closer to the docks were.

"Ah you came!" The owner said with a bright smile seeing Briga. The owner Wilfred whose name Briga heard in passing finished helping the last man before leaving the front desk and went over to Briga.

"So you are going to the party. Do you know what kind of dress you want?"

"Uhm, no I don't know really. I have never worn a dress before. I will trust you to give me something good, but I don't want to look like a whore." Briga said looking around the shop at a few of the dresses on display with fear. They were all so revealing that she was sure she would be too embarrassed to wear them. Wilfred saw Briga's expression and said.

"Wait here for a moment I have something that I have been working on. Here it would be considered very modest." He went up the stairs that were behind the desk and came back a few moments later with a black and white dress. He held it up to Briga and said.

"I will have to make some adjustments it is a bit too long for you but other than that it should be good." Briga looked at the dress. It had long black sleeves that belled at the shoulders and a bodice with a high turtle neck design that was covered entirely in white embroidery. The skirt was full and white with black embroidery patterns that nearly covered all the white at the top and faded out as it neared the hem.

"How long did it take you to make this?" Briga asked in awe at the sheer amount of work that had to go into the dress.

"A few months, I am just glad that I have someone to wear it. I quite like this dress, out of all of them that I have made this is the only one I would think fit for Castle Fairfax." He said laying the dress carefully on the counter and taking a measuring cord continued.

"Lets get you measured and then we can start getting you ready." Briga nodded and let Wilfred start to measure her body. She was a little astonished at how many areas he had to measure, each time making a note on a scrap of paper. It was a little embarrassing to have the man measure her bust, waist, and hips. He measured every part of her body before he nodded to himself and said.

"Go and get undressed, when you are ready I will help you with the corset." He handed her a pile of neatly folded cloth and pushed her towards the changing screen. Behind the screen Briga looked at the items she had been given, a pair of silky loose pants that ended at her knees, two strips of cloth with ties that looked like they were meant to be head bands. And a stiff piece that had a long cord laced through the back, this she assumed was the corset. She put on all of the stuff save for the things that looked like head bands. She had to hold the corset to her chest as it was still loose and she had no idea how it was meant to be tied onto her, she assumed that the cords could be tightened but she hadn't been able to manage that and hold it in place at the same time. She poked her head around the side of the changing screen and Wilfred noticed her. He had put the dress on a mannequin and had been pinning it in different areas. He placed one last pin then walked over to her and said.

"So you are going to have to hold the corset in place until we have the first bit tightened enough to finish." Wilfred gathered the cords up and was about to pull the corset to be snug around the girl when he saw her back. It was covered in crisscrossing scars that while they were smooth across her back were still an angry red color with how new they were. He suspected that she had not even had those scars a year. What disturbed him more were the silvery aged scars that lay under the fresh red ones. The girl made no remark about then and he was not interested in bringing up the disturbing topic so instead he took hold of the cords and with a quick pull tightened them to the point where Briga did not have to hold it to keep it from moving. She had assumed that it would not be tightened any more than that but Wilfred began to pull the corset tighter causing Briga to yelp in pain as she felt like her ribs were being crushed together.

"What are you doing?" She said in a gasp as he pulled the cords tighter and she lost her breath.

"This is how you wear corsets. They are terribly tight and make your form look best. Just bear with it for the moment, once it is on you will quickly get used to it." Wilfred pulled the cords again and Briga stumbled back slightly having to grab onto a chair that was placed behind the changing screen to stay on her feet.

"I cant breath!" She gasped as Wilfred gave another pull causing the vice like corset to tighten even further around her. Wilfred gave the cords one last pull causing the corset itself to give a groan as it threatened to break. Briga however couldn't tell if it was the corset that made that sound or her ribs which felt like they were going to snap under the vice grip of the corset. Wilfred tied the cords so that they did not hang down Briga's back and said.

"Take a seat for a moment while I finish pinning your dress. Breath! It is not that tight." Briga glared at him as she sank stiffly into the chair.

Briga focused on breathing knowing that, she would feel very foolish if she were pass out from the corset. If she had decided on one thing she hated corset, that and she would never wear one again if she could help it.

"I think your hair would look nice pinned up in a clean bun. How does that sound?" Wilfred said loud enough for her to hear him.

"Good." Briga said with as much volume as she could muster with such sort breaths.

"Alright come here and let's put this thing on you and see if I have the right adjustments." Briga did as Wilfred asked and walked over to him, he helped her to stand on a foot tall round box before he threw the dress over her head and gently pulled it down. Wilfred took a step back looking at Briga in the pin filled dress and smiled.

"I dare say I am a magician. This will fit you perfectly once I finish these adjustments. Are you ok….? Shit!" Wilfred said as he watched Briga go from looking faint to actually fainting. To the peril of being stuck with half a dozen pins Wilfred did his best to catch the slight girl as she collapsed. Maybe the corset was a little too tight.

(So that is chapter 2 getting ready for the party. Shoot me a review if you feel like it and help me make a better story)


	3. Chapter 3

Simpering Banshee Bitch 3:

"Am I dead?" Briga groaned as she had to make an effort to breath.

"No, but I think it is going to take you a while before you can wear a corset like the ladies do." Wilfred said laughing as he tied a string off and cut the thread. Briga realized what had happened and blushed with embarrassment.

"It still feels too tight." She said quietly as Wilfred finished with a few adjustments.

"I loosened it as much as I could. If it was any looser then you would fall out of it."

"If you say so."

"I do, so now come here and let's put this on you." After a half hour of finishing touches Wilfred stepped back with a smile and said.

"I do believe you are ready. Go on and have a look at yourself in the mirror." He gestured over to a free standing mirror that had a great crack running down the center at an angle. Briga carefully stepped off the platform and made her way to the mirror. The woman that looked back at her was elegant looking her pale hair pulled back into a sleek bun pronouncing her sharp features. The cut of the dress made her look taller than she was and the collar elongated her neck. Had she not been that woman Briga would have sworn she was looking at a noble lady.

"How much do I owe you for this?" Briga asked turning back towards Wilfred who was now brushing dust from a fine hat.

"Dear you do not owe me a coin for that dress. As the dress maker I am allowed to accompany my work to its grand debut. You are going to be a bit of a spectacle I think. Everyone in town has seen you around but I think most of them have yet to realize you are a woman. Tonight is like our grand coming out party, you as a woman, and me as a notable tailor."

"I don't know if that is what I want."

"Why ever not?"

"Because then Reaver will see me as a woman too."

"You make him sound like a wolf. Reaver isn't exactly committed to anyone but himself, but you could do a lot worse than gain his attention."

"Is there anyone that doesn't love Reaver here?"

"Dear he owns the town, and he has done a lot to ensure the loyalty of everyone who lives here. Anyway if we done hurry along now we will be late, the only one late to Reaver's parties is Reaver." Wilfred said as he held the door of the shop open for Briga. Looking outside Briga hadn't realized how quickly the sun was sinking in the sky or the number of people heading up the hill towards the party.

"Are you really going to wear those shabby beads?" Wilfred asked as he noticed the strand of cream colored beads around Briga's neck.

"Yes, they were a gift from my family."

"It isn't the best thing to compliment the dress but there is no time to argue over a beaded necklace." Wilfred muttered. She walked out of the shop and waited for Wilfred as he locked the door. He held his arm out to her and waited expectantly.

"Take my arm."

"Why?" Briga asked in total confusion as she considered the prospect of walking arm in arm with the old dress maker.

"Because it is what you do when going to a fancy event. Look around you." Briga did look and saw that the ladies that were going with men did walk arm in arm.

"Alright." She said looping her arm around his as she saw the other women doing. She was no use for formal events she realized. She knew none of the customs or expectations that were involved and more than that she was unaccustomed to the clothing. The corset still felt like it was trying to choke the life out of her and the skirt felt too long still and Briga held it up with her free hand to keep her slipper clad feet from stepping on it. As they went men and woman began talking to each other as they passed them by.

"Who is that girl?"

"Have you seen any of Wilfred's dresses before?"

"She looks like royalty, why is she with Wilfred? He is just a half rate tailor."

"I think that is that boy who has been hanging around the past few days."

"That's not a boy, look at her. Who is she?"

"Do you think she is a special guest Reaver has invited from Bowerstone?" The people's speculation went on and Wilfred looked at Briga before saying softly.

"Don't pay them any mind and keep looking ahead. If you act like you are above them they will believe you are."

"I think this was a bad idea. Let's just go back!" Briga said trying to turn around as they neared the mansion. Though Wilfred placed his hand over her arm keeping her at his side.

"You can't back out on me now I need you to wear this dress here. People have seen it now and if I can't take claim for it they will assume you brought it with you." Briga groaned slightly but did not try to run again. She had made a promise to Wilfred and she was not going to break it because of fear.

"Fear is a choice." Briga muttered to herself trying to keep her calm as they walked up the steps to the door. There the doorman Jeffry was waited in a fine suit.

"Miss Briga? My I hardly recognized you! Didn't think that you would show up after Reavers promise about the dress and seeing as how you were always about in men's clothing. You look very nice tonight!"

"Uh, thanks…." Briga said trying to think of the man's name but she was sure that she had never actually heard it spoken.

"My name is Jeffry. Don't be feelin' bad, I don't get to formally introduce myself to many of Reaver's people."

"Well you look nice yourself Jeffry." The doorman smiled at Briga and said as he pulled the door open.

"In my bests for Reaver's parties. I won't be keeping you any longer, here." Wilfred nodded to the man and led Briga into the mansion. The place had been decked out in the time since she had been there. Tables lined the walls and were bursting with trays of food and drink. The grand hall was filled to the brim with people in fancy clothing milling about talking with each other as they waited for Reaver to show up to his own party.

"Let's make a quick round about the room. If anyone asks about the dress tell them about me, alright?" Wilfred asked leading Briga into the mess of people. She was in sensory overload as she was brushed up against people and pulled through crowds. There were brief moments when Wilfred stopped pulling her about and she would be constantly bumped into by others trying to get to the person they wanted to talk with. Briga did not really listen to the conversations that Wilfred had and she did not partake in them. Every now and again she would catch Wilfred's voice among the crowd explaining that he was the creator of Briga's dress.

Briga only knew when Reaver entered the room because of the sudden quiet and the rush towards him that tore her from the relative safety of Wilfred's side. Within moments she was propelled along with the people through the crowd and lost all sight of Wilfred. Not long after Reaver entered the room music started playing and a hand took hold of Briga's waist pulling her against a man in a vest and fine shirt who smelt of liquor.

"I haven't seen you before. Would you like to have the honor of being my date for the night sweet heart?" He said his voice slurred slightly as he did not wait for Briga to answer him but pulled her after him in a dance she did not know. He held her hand and the man's other hand was low on her back. He spun Briga around the dance floor for the entire song as she was forced to stumble after trying to not fall. Instead of slowing down and letting Briga try to figure out the dance the man pulled her flush against him and quickened his pace.

"Not much of a dancer are you? I could think of something better for us to do. Reaver hasn't had you yet has he? No I bet not, you are new here. Too innocent looking to have been with Reaver." The man rambled on and on. Briga tried to pull away from the man sure that she would rather deal with Reaver than the drunken man who held onto her now. Though she struggled in his hold it was not till the song ended that Briga was able to nearly escape. The man still had hold of her hand and was determined to not let her go.

"Stop fighting me now, you are mine!"

"Let me go!" Briga yelled at the man over the noise of the party. A gunshot rang out causing the entire room to go quiet. The man's grip on Briga vanished and she stumbled backwards to bump into someone else whose hand wrapped around her center holding her against him.

"Perhaps I should have kept you all to myself." Reaver's amused voice rumbled from behind Briga. The man who had forced Briga to dance previously was lying on the floor in a growing pool of his own blood. Briga turned to look up at Reaver his smug expression gazing down at her.

"Let me go Reaver." Briga said as she tried to back away from him, though he was letting her go nowhere. Reaver looked her over and said.

"An elegant but modest dress, it perfectly complements your innocence, but not for long my pet." He turned his gaze onto the crowd of party goers his expression becoming dark as he looked at them. Only after he had done this did he let Briga slip from his grasp. Once she did the music was started up again and the party resumed as if nothing had happened. Three of Reaver's servants came in and removed the body of the man one staying to clean up the blood after the other two had carried the body out.

Briga fled to the other side of the hall away from Reaver and to her relief right where Wilfred was.

"What happened?" He asked seeing Briga's expression. He gave her his glass of wine and she took a deep drink before explaining.

"Some man had got it in his head that I was his date for the night and that I was some prize to flaunt at Reaver. Then Reaver shot him for no reason."

"This isn't good."

"What about this would be good?" Briga asked finishing the glass of wine. It was a strange drink it had a slight fruitiness that the tavern beer could only dream of. She caught only light hints of alcohol from the drink and so she decided to take another glass from a server that was making his way through the crowd.

"Reaver just laid claim to you. No man is going to dare even talk to you tonight if they don't want to risk getting a bullet in their head."

"That's not so bad, sure Reaver thinks he owns me but I don't have to worry about the other men now."

"Only you are going to find it hard to avoid Reaver for the rest of the night."

"Why on earth would she want to avoid me?" Reaver's voice chimed in and Briga spun around to see him in an expensive looking red and gold suit.

"The girl is easily overwhelmed, I am sure you have noticed." Wilfred said quickly covering his ass should Reaver take the previous comment as an insult.

"And who are you?" Reaver asked looking Wilfred over as if debating on killing him for being part of the conversation.

"My tailor. He made this dress. I would rather you not shoot him, I would have nothing to wear to these parties if you did." Briga said feeling more relaxed after her second glass of wine. Reaver took in her appearance and made note of the empty glass she held.

"I wouldn't object to you coming to me naked."

"I wouldn't come at all if you kill him." Wilfred who was watching the exchange was not sure if he should fear for Briga's life or his own more.

"That dress does make a rather pretty bow on my present. Shall we dance?" Reaver said offering his hand to Briga who backed away from him as if he were proposing they poke a sleeping balvarine.

"No."

"Why ever not? You were willing enough to dance with that disgusting man before."

"That was not by choice. I don't even know how to dance. I would just irritate you- !" Briga's sentence ended with an inclination of her voice as Reaver took her hand and pulled her to him and spun her out and into the myriad of people dancing.

"Reaver I am serious I don't know how to dance!" Briga said in alarm by how close he was holding her. As if to prove her point on not being able to dance she stumbled and stepped on Reaver's foot. He did not seem fazed by this at all and spoke in his usual smug tone.

"Then let me teach you." With this he held her closer and slowed his dancing pace slightly so that Briga was not stumbling so much, she however felt even more foolish being held flush against Reaver as he 'taught' her to dance. A blush had established itself on her face and she had the feeling that she would not spent a moment of the night without said blush.

Reaver twirled Briga around in a semblance of a dance as the song progressed. As it was winding down Briga had thought that Reaver would let her retreat to the sides of the room away from the dancing. This was not the case for as soon as one song ended another began and Reaver pulled her along to continue to dance. Three dances later and Briga's head was spinning.

"I need to stop, I need a drink or I am going to faint." Briga said as the song slowed to a stop. Reaver smiled at the comment but led her away from the dance floor his hand never leaving the small of her back in the process. As they walked to the side of the room and towards drinks Briga noticed that they were being watched by both men and women who looked equally jealous. _They are mad because Reaver has made some claim to me and now I am off limits to the men unless they wanted to risk getting shot by Reaver. The women were being ignored and were thus equally jealous because they had all arrived without a companion in hopes of gaining Reaver's attention. I am such a fool for even coming here tonight. _Briga thought to herself as they reached the side table and Reaver handed her a glass of wine. Briga drank the glass down noting that this wine was sweeter than the other she had been drinking and she could hardly taste the alcohol in it.

"I wonder what is distracting you so from what is so important right before you." Reaver said drawing her attention. He was leaning down so that their eyes were level. Briga's blush deepened and she said.

"Nothing just thinking on the party."

"On how amazing that it is? How is surpasses every expectation you had?"

"No, on how jealous they all are because you are spending all of your time with me. Why not go an entertain you guests?" Reaver scoffed quietly and said.

"I don't need to entertain them. They all come hoping to be with me but they will all leave with each other, once they have had enough of dancing and gazing at my beauty. When those men eventually lead the woman they find for the night into bed they will enjoy themselves and those women will be imagining me instead of the slobs who are on top of them. I don't really need them. Not when I have an untamed thing like you to occupy me." Briga who had been frowning at Reaver as he talked did not noticed that at some point a server had refilled her empty glass or that she had been absently taking sips from it.

"Keep dreaming about the whole taming thing, I am not interested. I am only here for one reason and it is not to be in your bed."

"Ah yes you want me to teach you how to take a life with the elegance that I possess. I don't think you could pull it off. What hope do I have of teaching you how to kill when you seem incapable of even learning a simple dance?"

"I am not incapable of learning."

"Then prove it to me. Prove that you have learned how to dance." Briga and Reaver had a stare off for a few moments before Briga turned away looking back out to the dancing masses.

"Once I finish my drink." She muttered as she took another sip of the wine. How many glasses had she drunk? She had lost count though she was beginning to feel the effects of the drink as she was feeling quite giddy and was sure that it had been easier to walk earlier in the night.

"Of course take you time. If I were you I would be stalling too." Reaver said chiding Briga who gave him a hard look then downed the remainder of the glass in a large gulp and set it down.

"I am not stalling, but I think you are more nervous than I am. What do I get if I win?"

"That depends, what do I get if you lose?" Reaver asked smiling, he hadn't realized what a light weight Briga was, and she couldn't have had more than two glasses of wine in the time that they had been standing at the side of the room. Then again he did not know how much she had downed before he had found her in the crowd. He had to admit that he was enjoying what alcohol was doing to the girl. She didn't seem so intent on running from him and he saw this working to his advantage in a variety of ways through the night.

Briga took hold of Reaver's hand and pulled him out to the dance floor, he followed her willingly and when they got to the dance floor she took his hand and put her other hand on his shoulder. Reaver smiled as he placed his hand on her back and whispered into her ear.

"You lead the dance, and then we will play another game. The winner will pick the game." Briga shivered slightly with Reaver so close but she smiled at him and then started into a dance. She hadn't gotten more than five steps before she stepped on his foot and stumbled slightly laughing.

"I guess you win! I don't know how to dance."

"I will teach you more than dancing by the end of the night." Reaver said with a purr as he took the lead and guided her through the dance. Yes Briga was definitely drunk and he was very much sober by comparison. As they spun around the song started to slow as it neared its end. Before the music stopped Reaver let go of Briga's hand and took hold of her waist and lifted her into the air. Briga gave a cheery cry of surprise and held onto Reavers arms and he held her high in the air for a moment before bringing her down into his arms. He did not set her down however but held her still as she wrapped her arms around his neck to keep herself from falling from his hold.

"Now it is my game." He said carrying her off and away from the party.

"I do believe that I chose the right girl to showcase my work. Now every lady is going to come to me for their dresses thinking it will help them catch his eye." Wilfred said to the woman who was at his side as he watched Reaver carry Briga off. It was the unofficial signal for the end of the party. People began to file their way out of the party many in couples or groups who intended to carry the party on in their own homes. Some couples who had been too preoccupied in their own private parties in the corners remained finishing what they started.

"Are you going to take me back to your place or not?" The woman at Wilfred's side asked in a pouty tone. Wilfred looked the woman over. She was voluptuous and had dark hair that was braided back.

"Come on darling I do believe the party here has ended for us." Wilfred said offering his arm to the woman who smiled and took it.

~O~

When Briga woke it was to a state of bliss a buzz of alcohol still in her system, she felt only a slight headache of the hangover she was going to have once she sobered up. She however ignored this fact and kept her eyes closed. She did not want to move from where she was, she was warm and comfortable nestled into a bed that was softer than any she could remember. Her head was rested against something warm and she snuggled up closer to that warmth willing herself to go back to sleep. When she snuggled to the warmth however it moved, to this Briga opened her eyes. The first thing she registered was the red sheets draped over her and the beautifully toned body she had been snuggling up too. Briga blushed deeply as she followed the smooth toned muscles of the man's abdomen up to his collar bone then to his face. Reaver watched her with a smile as he did not give her a chance to flee from his side. He flipped them over so Briga was lying on her back looking up at Reaver who had pinned her to the bed.

"Shall we play a game?" He purred taking in her appearance. Briga however was horrified as she noticed a few things about the current situation.

"Why are you naked!? Where is my dress?! What happened? Let me go!" She cried her last statement getting cut short as Reaver locked his mouth to hers delving his tongue into her mouth exploring. Briga gave an involuntary whimper and arched towards him as the action caused a fire to burn through her. Her mind was still foggy and she was not sure what led to her being in bed with a naked Reaver, or why she was in only her corset and the undergarments that she had worn to the party.

When Reaver broke the kiss Briga was left short of breath as he began to assail her neck.

"Reaver, stop." Briga said pushing a hand against Reaver's chest though he ignored her. When Briga saw his eyes she did not see any hesitation there, only pure lust as he looked down at her. She had to get away from him. He was beyond the point where her pleading with him was going to stop his advances.

Briga turned and pulled herself out from under Reaver and was able to sit up before his hands landed lightly on her shoulders and he whispered in heavy breaths into her ear.

"Be a good pet and obey your master." The words triggered a reaction of pure fear in Briga and she pulled away from his violently getting up from the bed and made a run for the door. Reaver however seemed to be ready for this as he leapt up grabbed her wrist pulling her back he pinned her against the wall.

"Let me go, Please." Briga said as tears pricked her eyes, she did not know why what he said had made her so fearful. She only knew that she wanted to desperately run from him and to never hear those words again. She struggled against Reaver who held her wrists against the wall.

"There is nowhere for you to go. I am not going to let you slip away again." Reaver growled and captured her lips again. Briga squeezed her eyes shut, and did the only thing that would make Reaver let her go. She brought her knee up sharply into his groin. He instantly let go of her in a cry of pain. Briga placed her hand against his chest and Pushed him back with the power she did not understand causing him to stumble and allowing her to slip past him to the door. Reaver reached out to grab her but only caught the strand of cream colored beads. The cord snapped sending the beads flying everywhere and Briga made it out of the room. She didn't care that she was in undergarments or that she wore no shoes. She had to escape, she had to get away.

"Stop her! I want her brought to me!" Reaver's angry voice yelled through the halls of the mansion behind Briga. She was out of the door before the servants could stop her. Though she did not make it far before she heard men running after her.

The marsh, she had to make it to the marsh. There she would be safe. Briga ran down the hill and stumbled as she cut her feet on broken glass she slid for a few feet before she began to run again. She ignored the pain and kept running she could hear Reaver's men right behind her now and she sped along pressing the broken glass further into her feet as she pushed herself to keep moving adrenalin fueling her as she ran.

Images flashed through her mind of a man who was not human, a monster that had control over her. That took pleasure in causing pain; that tried to make Briga into a monster and hurt her when she did not do as it wished. 'You will obey.' The words from a time she could not remember echoed through her mind.

Briga hardly realized she had entered the marsh until she stumbled over the dead corpse of a hollow man. Briga fell into the mud her adrenalin rush fading fast she began shaking and cried unable to control her body. Breathing was difficult regardless of the corset she wore. She kept gasping unable to take in air. The marsh became thick with fog as a banshee appeared before her.

"You will obey. Obey!" It spoke to her in a malicious tone before it gave a wail and summoned the wraiths that attacked.

~O~

Reaver arrived at the edge of the marsh where his men had gathered. He had dressed and held his Dragonstomper a scowl etched deeply into his expression as he approached.

"Reaver. She went into the marsh and then…" The man was cut off by a series of wails from several banshees. "Then that started up. No one dares go into the marsh." Bang! Reaver shot the man dead and turning his gun on the other men said.

"I will kill any man too scared to enter the marsh. Now bring that simpering banshee bitch to me!" The men paled slightly at the sound and another series of wailing screeched that came from the marsh. The fog had settled thickly over the town and everyone in Bloodstone had fled inside fearing banshees were roaming the town. Reaver's men reluctantly entered the marsh and Reaver followed after them his gun still trained on their backs. The further into the marsh they went the thicker the fog became until it was too thick to see a thing.

Then the slaughter began, it started with the screeching wails of banshee then the pained cries of men being killed. Reaver walked forward still through the marsh when he saw something odd, something that he had not seen before. The red cloak of a banshee lay in the mud inside the rotted corpse of the woman who had become a banshee. The thing was dead but it had not vanished as they normally did. The banshee had been killed in both body and soul. The cries of men dying soon ended and the wailings of the banshee continued though none seemed to notice or care that Reaver was there. Reaver continued through the fog when he saw another thing he had never seen before. Two banshees were killing each other. Their attacks so equally matched that they struck the killing blow on each other in near the same moment. Their robed forms falling and the fog around them disappearing. The banshees had gone into open war against each other. A thing Reaver had never heard of, he had always assumed the monsters to be spiteful only towards the living.

"They died because of you. You sacrificed them for your own selfish wants." A banshee hissed out as it turned its attention on Reaver. He shot the monster several times and watched in satisfaction as it vaporized dead. The fog was becoming quite thin now. Reaver assumed that there were very few banshees still in the area. He passed the corpses of his men and banshees until he saw her. The bitch was lying in the mud as if asleep. Blood ran freely from several deep cuts across her body.

"Save her." "Help her." "Take her with you." "Protect what we cannot." "Save her." Three banshees whispered their voices sorrowful as the appeared out of the mist around Briga's body. Reaver glared between Briga and the banshee that floated above her.

"Why?"

"She is our daughter." "She has too much fear." "Fear you caused." "You are to blame." "She cannot return to us now." "It is not safe for her here." "You gave her fear."

Reaver glared at the lot of them he itched to kill them all. To slaughter them and leave their bodies to rot in the swamp. Yet something stayed his hand, he was not sure what it was but it did not lessen his scowl. The Banshee looked between each other as if speaking quietly.

"We pledged to protect her when we found her. When she had no memory." "Each gave a bone, a bone that was formed into a bead." "She wore the beads the seal on our oath to protect her." "The seal has been broken and she was betrayed by those she trusted." "We will serve your dark purposes here in the marsh. If you protect her." "We will ensure your sacrifices find their way to the shadow court, if you protect her." "We will do these things and all things you might ask of us, if you protect her." "You must protect her." The three banshees spoke their whispering voices echoing in the night.

"You would become slaves for eternity for this bitch?" Reaver asked, he was quite honestly shocked that the banshees were willing to become his minions, let alone bargain with him.

"If you protect her. She is the seal to this oath. She must live for us to hold to our words." "When she dies our oath is broken." "Will you do it?" "Will you protect her?" The banshees echoed each other their voices pleading as Reaver stood silently.

He could not hate Briga more if he tried. The little bitch had placed herself in such a valuable position to Reaver that even though he itched to kill her. To leave her body with more bullets than bones he did not. Every time he had to make a sacrifice to the shadow court he had trouble with the banshees killing his sacrifice before it got near the shadow court. Now they were willing to lead his sacrifices to the court, and to obey any orders he would give. All he had to do was protect Briga.

There were benefits for to him keeping Briga alive aside from the banshees. The girl was a talented painter, and for him that was almost as valuable as his mansion in his mind. Then there was that strange power she possessed. He had only seen the magic when she freaked out and decided to assault him in a most cruel way. But she had magic. In that there was promise of a powerful tool if he could bend her to his will. He thought he had succeeded in that the other night after he took her and left the party. Though it seemed that she had too much to drink and had forgotten the entire night. The benefits and drawbacks to accepting this deal were great and he knew that he did not have much time to decide. As he stood debating with himself Briga lay in the mud bleeding to death.

"Your answer, give it to us." The lead banshee spoke her voice now becoming urgent. Reaver looked into the dark hood and spoke.

( So there is the end of the chapter and now you know why the story is so named. I am sorry about chapter one it has a shit ton of errors that I did not notice when I was typing. I will go back and fix that at some point. Please give me a review, reviews make my day better.)


	4. Chapter 4

Simpering Banshee Bitch 4:

'_You will obey! Now thank me!' The Commandant ordered as he struck recruit 273 down again. The woman was a young thing to be at the spire and was the most stubborn masochistic recruit the Commandant ever had to break. She would not obey regardless that she was hardly able to stand because of the beating and the torture from the collar. Once the collar had settled again from its most recent bought of torture 273 defiantly stood and glared at the Commandant her sharp features echoing those of the spire itself. She did not yet realize what the Commandant did, but she belonged in the spire. She would serve a purpose and she had been crafted to be in the spire her features echoed the beauty of the spire. When the world was cleansed by Lord Lucien the Commandant would ensure that she remained at the spire. That she did not leave that place. Like himself recruit 273 was a part of the spire, only she was more perfect than the Commandant was. The shards did not protrude from her skin, no she was not crafted by Lord Lucien, and she had come before. Once she was broken, once she was loyal as the Commandant was, he intended to understand how she was made, and who had so seamlessly crafted a person from the spire._

The Commandant opened his eyes to look out over the core of the spire. He had let his mind wander again; an affliction that had arrived nearly eleven years ago when 273 had looked at him defiantly and refused to obey. The Commandant did not sleep; he did not require such human activities now that he was part of the spire. True he had once been human, but that was so long ago and such memories of humanity were unimportant. There was only the spire and only Lord Lucien…but that was not true, there was 273. That woman, who had caused the Commandant to let his mind wander. She was an ever present part of his world now, the fact that she was dead seemed to not matter for his mind still wandered.

The Commandant turned his back to the window and walked calmly out of the room leaving the broken recruits behind. Other guards would come and drag their limp forms away. 1458 broken recruits, but what did that matter when there was one who he was never able to break? The woman had been defiant till the very end; she had fought when all of her skill had been sapped away by the collar over those ten years. She had been clumsy with the sword she had stolen; she had forgotten how to use the weapon. Even though she had been a crucible champion, ten years of having ones skill and battle prowess sapped by the collars rendered them a novice. In the end she had succeeded in getting the mage free but at the cost of her own life.

That was however not a certain fact, very unlikely that she survived but not uncertain. When she had battled her way from the prison block to the docks she had somehow managed to do so without actually killing a single person. This was however her down fall as others who were part of the spire like the Commandant attacked her. She had fallen quickly to their attack. The final blow across her head had been with such a force that it had thrown her into the water. By that time the mage had disappeared through a portal and she drifted limply out of the spire. They had not bothered to retrieve her body; it would only be thrown to the sea once she was confirmed dead. It was easier to simply let her drown if she was not already dead. The Commandant was spiteful over this however. He was intent on breaking her, forcing her to obey. She had by dying forever escaped his reach and now he thought of nothing but what he could have done to break 273.

~O~

"My god what happened?"

"I don't know, but the poor thing has been abused for years it looks like."

"Do you think the girl is an escaped slave from across the sea?"

"No, she is from Albion; she has just had it harder than anyone we have seen." Lily said to the whore Kerri the red head had brought a bucket of clean water up for Lily. Lily had for the past week been working. Not as a whore but as a nurse to the comatose Briga. Not once since Reaver brought her to the house bleeding and passed out had the girl woken from her sleep. Lily feared that she would never wake. Reaver had said nothing on what had happened to the girl only that he would be back for her. Since then Reaver had frequented the house coming for the services of the ladies there but each time he came and checked on Briga's condition.

Lily had never seen Reaver so concerned for another person before. It was not a sit by their bed side and talk to them concern, no that would have been downright abnormal for Reaver. It was the pop in and make sure they are still alive kind of concern, and for Reaver that was a big deal.

"So what do you suppose happened to her? I mean everyone has been shooting around ideas but you have yet to say what you think happened." Kerri said as she sat down next to Lily taking the soiled bandages from the woman and placing them off to the side to later be washed.

"I don't know. I mean so much was happening that night. I have never heard so many Banshees wailing like that before and never so close to town. Every time I heard them it was a far off sound carried on the wind. I thought maybe they were trying to protect Briga but, I don't know…" Lily trailed off as she lifted another old bandage off revealing the deep gash that was slowly starting to heal. It had finally stopped bleeding and a scab had formed over the wound. Lily gave a small sigh of relief at this, the gash was one of the worse that Briga had suffered and was one of the most likely to kill her.

"Why would the banshee protect her?"

"She said that her family lived there in the marshes. I don't know for sure but I heard rumors from some of Reaver's men that she said they were her family. If that was the case then how did this happen I wonder?"

"You think a banshee did this to her?" Kerri asked watching Lily inspect the gash she had just unwrapped. Lily reached for her sewing kit and a candle. Holding the needle in the flame till it was hot she cleansed the metal and said.

"You know the stories of the banshee, the summon wraith things that cut you to pieces. Well Briga looks like she had been cut to pieces if you ask me." Threading the needle Lily began to sew the gash closed and continued speaking.

"It is a miracle that these wounds haven't set with taint yet."

"What would Reaver do if he came here and found her dead?" Kerri asked imagining Reaver killing everyone who helped take care of Briga. Which was basically everyone in the house aside from the Madam.

"She isn't dead is she?" A voice spoke from behind the woman. Both turned quickly to see Reaver standing in the door way looking into the room. His expression was dark as he looked from the two whores to Briga's pale form on the cot. Normally Reaver would have savored the sight of Briga's unclothed torso only the exposed wounds that covered her body stopped him. He confirmed the slow rise and fall of her chest just as the whore Lily, who Reaver had found was Briga's only friend in the town spoke.

"No, she is doing quite well. The wounds have no pollution and they are starting to heal. But, have you seen this?" Lily said pulling Briga up to a sitting position revealing her scared back. Reaver's expression did not change though the sight of the old and new scars angered him. They were not the scars of battle or of some accident; those scars had come from torture this much was evident. Perhaps the day that she had fled to the marsh was due in part to something Reaver had done to cause her to remember the events that caused her to become so scarred. Reaver watched the two women for a moment then set a small bottle with a creamy red fluid in it on the table that was by the door.

"Have her drink this." With that Reaver left walking down the hallway and away from Briga's ghastly form. Lily and Kerri looked at each other in shock, and then Kerri got up and quickly picked the bottle up while Lily laid Briga back down careful not to cause more harm to her injuries.

"It is a healing potion." She said in amazement. Lily looked back at Briga and thought to herself. _What did you do to make him care? How did you get him? Why does he care about you?_

"Hand that to me will you? We should get this into her as soon as possible." Lily said taking the bottle looking at its label. It was not a potent potion but it was better than the average fair that was sold around town. Reaver had brought the potion from his own stores. A pang of jealousy went through the woman as she unstopped the bottle and held Briga's head up and poured small amounts into her mouth. Briga swallowed reflexively and with a few minutes of coaxing the potion was gone and Briga had more color to her skin.

"So how did you get stuck with taking care of her all the time?" Kerri asked gathering up the dirty bandages.

"I am her friend. Got to hear first-hand what happened when she went into Reaver's mansion."

"I would never be able to be her friend. To have someone who dressed like a boy and not even want Reaver's attention to get it so fully. He would never have done this for another girl. Aren't you jealous?"

"Yes, but…she said she had no interest in Reaver as a lover. I don't know why but I trust her. I trust that she is only here until Reaver fulfills his agreement with her. I hope when that day comes, she will hold to her word and not want Reaver. That she will just leave. If ever there was a girl to make Reaver hers and hers only it is this one." Kerri looked at Briga for a moment then to Lily and said.

"Lily, don't get your hopes up. Every woman wants Reaver, eventually. What's more, Reaver wants her. When the time comes and Reaver fulfills whatever agreement he made, she won't leave." With that Kerri took the bandages she had collected from the room and left.

~O~

When Briga woke it was to an ache that pulsed through her entire body. She felt stiff as if she had been in one spot for such a long time that she had forgotten what it was to move. She coughed slightly as she tried to speak, her throat was terribly dry. Looking about the room Briga was unsure where she was. It was a gaudy room with over the top furnishings that were a shadow of elegance. She was on a cot on the floor. The bed in the room was neatly made.

Briga pushed herself up slowly much to the protests of her aching body. She was nearly sitting up when a sharp pain came from her side. Briga slid back to rest on her elbows and gasped at the sudden pain. Cautiously she pulled up the bottom of the night shirt she wore and saw the bandages. They covered more than just her side, much of them concentrated on her legs.

It took her a moment to remember what had happened. She had fled from Reaver and Bloodstone to the assumed safety of the marsh. Only to be attacked by a banshee. What had happened after the initial attack was what frightened Briga the most. Almost immediately after her first cry of pain from the wraiths attack other banshees had flocked to her. Many were outraged that one of their own had attacked Briga but more wanted to join in. At that point an all-out battle began with the banshees fighting each other. Some to protect Briga, others to kill her. In the battle Briga had been accosted by wraiths from at least six different banshees. They had all taken the chaos and chanced attacking her outright. They had done a good job of it as Briga recalled falling to the mud and not much else. How she got to this house or where she was she did not know.

"Don't mess with those, you are still healing." Lily said walking in with a pail of water.

"Lily? Where am I?" Briga asked her voice raspy as her throat was terribly dry. Lily handed Briga a cup of water which she drank thankfully.

"You are at The Rose Lamp, this is the house I work at." Briga paled at these words.

"I'm in a whore house?" She asked fearful, if she was in a whore house then she was also indebted to the house. The owners were meticulous with their records of who used what and who owed what.

"Yes, Reaver brought you here." Lily said her tone almost bitter. Briga looked at the woman, no she must have herd Lily wrong Reaver would not have brought her back to Bloodstone. Hell he wouldn't have left her alive after what she did.

"You must be mistaken Reaver wouldn't do that. He wants to put a bullet in my head…or ten." Briga said remembering how angry he was after she had kneed him in his most favorite of places

"Well he is the reason you are here, and not comatose. He brought a healing potion for you. He has been paying Madam to have me taking care of you night and day instead of taking clients."

"Why? I was certain that he was going to kill me."

"You should ask him when he gets here. First the Madam wants to see you though, to talk to you about your debt." Lily said in an even tone. Briga did not understand why the woman was being so cold towards her. What was more is that the woman was the closest thing to a friend that Briga had known.

"Did I do something wrong?" Briga asked as she watched Lily. Lily took a moment before she responded and said softly in a slightly defeated tone.

"No, not yet at least. You still don't want Reaver right? I saw you two at the party, he didn't look twice at me, not when he saw you."

"I don't want Reaver, I have never wanted him. Yea he is a handsome man but he isn't…I don't know. He isn't…right for me. I don't know but it just feels like he is too different from me that nothing would be right if anything happened. I don't want to have something like that." Lily perked up at this and asked.

"So you don't have feelings for him?"

"No, I take it you do though?" Briga asked Lily as she watched the woman.

"Yes, but it's not what you think. I don't want to just get in the sack with him. I have been there. He is amazing in bed but I have never seen him make any gesture more than a quick romp. That's what I want with him though. I want to be what I have never seen from him. I want him to care about me the way he does you."

"Reaver does not care about me." Briga said quickly.

"He has been here at least five times a week since he brought you here. Every time he comes here he checks in on you to make sure you are alright. He brought a potion for you so that you would get better. That is more commitment than anyone has seen from him ever. Whatever you have done you have made him value you more than anyone else. What did you do? How did you manage this?" Lily asked her eyes shone with tears that threatened to fall. Briga did not know how to help her friend but she figured that there was one main difference between the two women.

"I tell him no. I don't just let him control me. I mean he does control me but he doesn't completely control me. He has made efforts to bed me but I have never allowed him to do so. Every time he has gotten too close to me I bolt. I guess maybe he is interested because I haven't just given myself to him."

"I don't think that would work…"

"I'm sorry Lily, I don't really know how to help you."

"Don't worry about it, can you stand? The Madam wanted to see you as soon as you were able."

"I think so." Briga said getting her feet under her and tried to stand. With a yelp of pain she collapsed back onto the cot as a pain shot through her foot. That's right, she had stepped on glass.

"I guess your foot isn't quite healed. I was pretty sure I got all of the glass out of your foot…but I am no surgeon."

"It is alright, you are the reason I am alive and for that I owe you."

"It's fine, I will help you walk. I know how you feel about this place so the sooner you can walk the less you will owe her." Lily said helping Briga to stand who leaned heavily on the woman as Briga hobbled next to her friend. Lily led Briga down the hall and to a grand door. Lily knocked lightly and when permission sounded from the other side she opened the door.

"Leave us Lily." The woman who stood by the windows said. She was looking out the foggy glass of the windows over the town. Lily helped Briga into the door and then left her closing the door as she left. Only then did the woman turn and look at Briga, when she did she gave a small snicker and walked over to sit at the desk that sat in the middle of the room. The woman was tall and was made taller by the heels she wore; her corset was cinched so tight that Briga wonder if she had her floating ribs or not. Her dirty blond hair was perfectly styled in ringlet curls that hung down to her waist.

"Sit." She said pointing her fountain pen at the chair on the other side of the desk; the grey eyes of the woman were the exact shade of Briga's own eyes. Briga hobbled over to the chair, the movement turning out to be more of a one footed hop that caused the woman at the desk to smirk in amusement. When Briga finally arrived at the chair and sank gratefully into the chair the woman spoke.

"I am the Madam of this house, and you my dear have acquired quite a debt in the two weeks that you have been here."

"I have been here two weeks?" Briga asked quite shocked, she had been sleeping for two weeks yet she still felt exhausted and her injuries did not feel as if she had two weeks of healing.

"Yes and you have detained my most requested girl for that time. Naturally you will be responsible for the loss that occurred with every request for Lily that she was unable to take because of you."

"How much do I owe?" Briga asked afraid to know the amount, she had never had much gold and she was sure that she would not be able to pay the Madam back whatever the amount was.

"Your debt is six thousand gold pieces. That is room, board, care, medicine, and the wages that Lily did not acquire." Briga paled and was sure that she was going to faint.

"Six thousand?!"

"How do you plan to pay?"

"I don't have that much…" Briga said trailing off. Madam looked her over critically as if she was a piece of art that she was contemplating buying.

"If you cannot pay me back then you will work for me. I am not sure how well you would do as a working lady. I suppose a maid would be useful. Do you have any skills that _I_ might find valuable?" Madam said as she scratched a quick note onto a sleeve of paper. When Briga did not answer Madam looked up at her to see the look of sheer panic on the girls face. Madam was not sure how old Briga was but she guessed that she was not more than twenty five years.

"She has many uses, but none that you would find of use my dear Madam." Reaver said as he quietly closed the door. Briga turned quickly to see him in his usual garb looking confident beyond belief, and that scared Briga. He was going to kill her, she knew it, he was going to kill her for sure. Reaver strode across the short space to reach the desk. Briga turned back towards Madam to see the woman in a fluster.

"Reaver, you can't take her from me. She owes a debt."

"Ah yes, so does everyone who spends time in your house. I recall owing quite a lot to this house over the years."

"Yes but you were always provided a satisfactory time." Reaver laughed.

"Hardly. Your girls are quite boring."

"Even so, she owes me a debt. Would you pay it just to have her?" Reaver looked down at Briga savoring the truly horrified expression on her face. He knew why Briga was scared; he was enjoying her fear because she had no idea that he had reason to keep her alive.

Briga watched Reaver unsure what to make of his smug expression as he studied her briefly his eyes dark and unreadable. She wasn't sure what she feared more, being trapped with Reaver or being trapped with Madam. Both were dangerous places to be not to mention that Briga was sure they both had people who could find her if she ran. Reaver for certain had people who could find her. Her fate was sealed when a bag of coins fell onto the desk with a loud thump.

"So much!" Madam said in surprise, looking at Reaver quickly she did not need to count the coins to know that there was much more than six thousand coins in the large bag.

"I will be taking what is mine now." Reaver said grabbing Briga's arm and hauling her up to stand. Briga gave a whimper of pain as she stumbled along next to Reaver as he practically dragged her from the room. Madam watched in shock as Reaver left dragging the still injured girl along with him. She pulled open the taught string of the bag and coins spilt from the bag. She quickly pulled out a scale and deposited all of the coins into the scales quickly weighing the gold. Ten thousand. Reaver had just paid the girls entire debt and then some. Madam had always prided herself for never turning any of those she was responsible for into slaves. Though now she was sure that she had sold the girl Briga to Reaver, not that he had given much of a choice.

Reaver pulled Briga through the brothel house all of the women and men who were still in the lounge watching interested. After all it was quite a spectacle; Reaver was pulling a clearly injured girl through the brothel who was dressed only in a thin night shirt that stopped at her knees. Briga shivered as she was pulled into the cold night air.

"Reaver, I can't walk so fast." Briga said in a whimper as she stumbled falling against Reaver as he turned on her. Briga had to take hold of his arm to keep from falling over, she could feel the wound in her foot having opened up again and bleeding through the bandages. Reaver smiled down at Briga, he had to admit that if he was going to agree to protect someone he was happy that it was a beautiful creature like Briga. He intended to make the most of the arrangement, now that he had paid her debt at the whore house plus some she would feel compelled to repay him, she was too honest a soul to let such a debt slide. He had effectively turned her into a slave; he had complete control over the girl now. All he had to do was ensure that she did not repeat her rather malicious assault on his person.

"It is your own fault that you have such impairments. I do not feel like waiting for you to be able to walk to the mansion." With that Reaver picked Briga up and slung her over his shoulder. Briga gave a cry as he did so, partly due to surprise and partly due to pain from her wounds. What was even worse than the fact that Reaver had slung her over his shoulder his hand had come to rest on her rear. Briga blushed as he gave a squeeze, she hit his back weakly and said.

"Stop this Reaver!"

"Sorry dear I cannot hear you." Reaver said and from his tone Briga was sure that he was smiling. Reaver did not speak to her all along the way to the mansion. Upon entering the mansion Briga expected him to drop her and make her walk on her own. Instead he carried her in past his staff and into his study he threw the door closed before he set her down. Briga stumbled away from him slightly holding onto the edge of his desk to balance herself.

Reaver smiled at her look of distrust, he did not expect her to speak but when she did it was nervous and fearful.

"Why?"

"Why is such a vague question my dear, how about you be a little more specific."

"Why did you save me from the marsh? Why did you pay my debt? Why have you not killed me?" Reaver closed the space between them trapping her on the edge of the desk. He brushed his hand against her cheek before he leaned in to kiss her. Briga moved fast bringing her hand up to slap him. Reaver caught her wrist and tightened his grip causing her to give a pained sound.

"You will never attack me again. You are only alive now because your usefulness currently out weights how much I want to kill you. You would do well to not tempt me to readjust how useful I find you." Briga tried to pull her hand out of Reaver's grasp but he did not let her go.

"Am I understood?" He asked with the all too smug expression that he had maintained since he entered Madam's office in the Rose Lamp. Briga nodded slightly not trusting her voice to not be shaking should she speak. Reaver's smile widened and he let go of her wrist.

"Good now that you are listening ever so intently, let me explain what is going to happen now." Reaver sauntering around the side of the desk and lounging in his plush chair propping his feet on the edge of the desk. "Now you will continue to paint for me and will do so until I say so. You will be available whenever I send for you. You will also not keep any secrets from me as you have been."

"You don't own me Reaver." Briga said quietly to try and hide the tremble in her voice, this was not missed by Reaver. He gave a sinister smile and said.

"I paid your debt at the Rose Lamp; I have saved your life. I am allowing you to live. For all this I do own you. Your debts to me are so great that you will never be able to pay them off. You will also be staying here with me from now on. I will not have you wandering off to the marsh again."

"No, no I will not stay here. I will pay my debt off but I won't live here with you." Reaver stood and advanced on Briga who stumbled back away from him and his sudden advance and let go of the edge of the desk her injured foot unable to support her she fell to the carpeted floor. Reaver crouched down in front of Briga and said watching her with that same look that caused her such fear.

"You will stay here or at the Rose Lamp and incur more debt with Madam. I however will not pay off any further debts. Then you won't have any choice in who beds you." Briga tried to edge herself away from Reaver but the movement only caused him to break eye contact to look over her body. Briga became exceedingly aware of how short the night shirt she wore was. Blushing deeply Briga realized that Reaver looking at her the way he did was nearly as bad as him touching her and she flushed under his gaze.

"Now tell me little bird, how strong is your will?"

"My…what?" Briga asked confused as she tried to position herself so her legs were less exposed.

"What you did to throw me back after so rudely kneeing me in my manhood."

"I don't know how strong it is, I…just have been able to do so." Reaver took Briga's hand and pulled her to stand turning her to face an extra chair that sat on the far side of the room.

"Use your will." He said his hands on her hips. Briga was still blushing at Reavers actions but held her hand out to the chair and Pushed. The force left her hand and hit the chair causing it to teeter but not fall over.

"Do it again, this time as much as possible." Reaver said his expression calculating, he was not sure but he thought that he had seen a glow from Briga's skin when she had used her will. Briga took a breath and Pushed again. This time she tried to Push with a much greater force than she had ever needed to use before. The force left her hand causing her to fall back into Reaver as the chair was thrown against the wall breaking and damaging the wall paper.

"Well that is something." Reaver said, though Briga could not see his face she knew that he was happy with her ability. Reaver had not expected Briga to have such aptitude with will. When she had used the magic her skin indeed glowed with the magic highlighting her veins as the magic in her blood reacted to her will. Now that she was not actively using the magic her veins still glowed faintly with residual active magic.

A tentative knock came at the door drawing Reavers attention.

"Enter." He said and one of the guards opened the door and said in a tone too polite for how he was dressed.

"Master Reaver, is everything alright? We heard quite a noise."

"Yes everything is quite alright, is the room ready?"

"Yes Sir."

"Good, take her to it. She is not to leave that room, am I clear?"

"Yes Sir." The man said walking in to help Briga. Reaver handed Briga off to the man and she was taken from the room. Reaver waited for the door to close before he let a wide smile spread across his face. So the informant was correct, pity Reaver had killed him after he got the information. It had been such a fantastical story that Reaver had not believed it. Though when he went looking for answers after Briga had finished the painting he did not expect to find such a treasure. After all such skilled painters did not just appear in the marsh, and they were not raised by banshees. Reaver went back to his desk and opened a drawer taking from it a small grey photograph. It was of two girls posing with bright smiles on their faces. The youngest one looked barely six years old, the older one being perhaps twelve.

"You are mine now, Sparrow."

( So we have a lot going on here in this chapter. Briga being completely manipulated by Reaver was fun to write. When I played the games I found it endlessly entertaining that no matter how hard you tried Reaver always had influence over your character. He even prevented you from taking revenge in the end. I know that some of the readers will not be happy with how weak Briga appears in the story and especially in this chapter. I wanted to make a hero who wasn't completely put together, who was quite the opposite. She was a strong character before the spire incident but upon her supposed death and loss of all memory she had to reconstruct her own personality. Under her circumstances she couldn't be anything but a naïve and rather weak character. She doesn't know how to handle men let alone Reaver and she doesn't understand what she is feeling that scares her. She is defiantly a flight personality. I love reviews and readers love reviewing! So leave a review I enjoy hearing what you think)


	5. Chapter 5

Simpering Banshee Bitch 5:

"The hero is dead; I have been here for seven months I think that it is high time you explain why you are keeping me here Seer." Garth said with a glare at Theresa.

"Oi! Don't you be talking disrespectfully about Sparrow; she saved your sorry life." Hammer said walking over with a bottle of alcohol in hand. Fluffykins was just lying on the floor under the half broken table. He had been in a state of depression since the day at the docks when the man Garth returned from the spire but his Mistress did not.

"Even with Sparrow gone, Lucien will still hunt you, he needs you still to work the spire. That being said we should contact the thief and bring him here as soon as possible."

"You can't keep us locked here forever. I am leaving for Samarkand; I have had enough of this." Garth said crossing his arms over his chest as he looked at the two women.

"You cannot hide from Lucien, even in Samarkand he will find you. The only way you will be free is to stop him. Albion depends on it."

"So that's it then? We just go find this thief and then what kill Lucien? That would involve going right where he wants us to be. Without Sparrow we don't stand a chance."

"I would stand a better chance going in alone. There is no hope for subtly with you throwing that barbaric weapon around." Garth said

"A hammer is a surer way to kill someone that sparkling fingers."

"Will is a more effective way of killing than a hammer."

"If that was the case then why is Sparrow dead? What good was your sparkling fingers when it mattered? How effective was your magic when Sparrow needed you? It is your fault she died."

"Both of you stop this nonsense now. What is done is done. You must now bring the Thief so that we can keep him from Lucien. There is one way to reach Bloodstone, and that is through Wraith's Marsh. So who will go?"

"I will, I owe it to Sparrow for everything she did for me." Hammer said glaring at Garth who rolled his eyes.

"Have fun walking to Bloodstone, Barbarian." Garth said bitterly.

~O~

"Miss Briga, may I enter?" A voice came at the door after a light knock. Briga sat on the ground hugging her knees as she looked quickly to the door. She had been locked into the room after the guard had escorted her there. In the night she had tried to open the windows but they had been locked shut the mechanism to open them having been removed. Briga had not allowed herself to sleep that night, and did not touch the bed or any other item in the room.

"Yes, enter." Briga said softly, so much so she was unsure that she was not sure the maid would have heard her but the lock turned and the maid entered. She had with her a silver serving tray that held a bottle and a glass. She set it lightly on a side table and looked at Briga.

"Miss, you look terrified? What is the matter?" The maid said walking over to Briga who watched the woman too tired to be bothered to move.

"Miss, Reaver is expecting you downstairs you must get dressed." The maid pulled Briga up sitting her on the bed noting that it had been untouched. Once she was sure that Briga was not going to fall off the bed she went quickly to the dresser and picked a fine red dress with black detailing along with a corset and assorted ladies undergarments.

Mary had been assigned by Reaver to tend to Briga when she arrived at the mansion. Mary had to go and take Briga's measurements while she was unconscious so that she would be able to get a new wardrobe for the girl. Mary would have gone to The Golden Corset to purchase the clothing but Reaver had sent her to Wilfred's Tailoring instead. The man Wilfred had been excited to be hired to make so many dresses for Briga. Though he had been terribly concerned for the girl when she never came to try any of the dresses on. All of the dresses had been crafted rather modestly but regal none the less.

"Come on now Miss. You need to get dressed, Reaver wont be happy if you aren't downstairs when he is ready."

"I don't want to wear a dress. Give me a shirt and trousers." Briga said finally speaking to the maid.

"I uh did not get you any shirts and trousers. Reaver wanted you in dresses." Briga turned on the girl. She was not sure if it was because she was tired or she was finally becoming angry at Reaver for all he did.

"I do not care what Reaver wants. If you want me to go downstairs then you best find me a shirt and trousers because I will not wear a corset or those dresses." Her tone was venomous and it clearly scared the maid who stood there for a moment before leaving closing the door as she left. Briga sighed now that she was seated on the bed she wanted to just let herself fall asleep and deal with Reaver later. Though she knew that she would not like whatever would happen if Reaver found her sleeping. She looked over at the silver tray which sat across the room. Briga stood hopping on her good foot as she made her way to the table to find that the bottle was not alcohol or some other sort of drink but a health potion. Briga took the bottle pulling the cork and drained the contents quickly coughing at the bitter taste of the health potion. Though as soon as she finished the drink she felt instantly better, her wariness faded into a mild exhaustion and her wounds hurt less.

The maid returned a moment later with some folded clothing in her hands. She looked uneasy about giving Briga the clothing but relented and handed it over. Briga took the clothing and could tell that the cloth was finer than anything she had ever felt before. The shirt was a pure white with silver buttons and the trousers were a tan color with matching silver buttons.

"I am sorry for snapping at you…you did not deserve it. What is your name?"

"I am Mary. Reaver has made it my duty to tend to your needs. I am sorry that you have to wear these; they are the only men's clothing we have here. Let me find you a belt." Mary said going to the dresser and searching through one of the drawers. Briga had already pulled the pants on by the time Mary had spoken and now she looked at the shirt realizing that these clothing belonged to Reaver. Briga looked between the shirt and the dress that sat untouched on the bed. She debated for a moment on actually wearing the dress. Either way she was sure that Reaver would be amused in whatever she wore. She certainly was not going to go downstairs in the night shirt; she wanted to cover herself as much as possible. When Mary finally found a belt Briga came to the conclusion that she would still be most covered wearing Reaver's clothing. She pulled the night shirt off with a cringe and turned to pick up Reaver's shirt while holding up the too big pants. When Briga turned her back on Mary the maid gasped, Briga looked back over her shoulder at Mary and asked.

"What is it?"

"What happened to you?"

"Banshees."

"No your back. That was no banshee; your back is covered with scars." Briga frowned and said.

"What?"

"Here look." Mary said taking a hand mirror and holding it up so Briga could see her back. Briga froze her back as netted with scars many old and several newer. _How had I never noticed these before? Where did these come from?_

"I won't talk on that." Briga said as if she knew what had happened and then pulled the shirt on buttoning the shirt down. Mary did not question further but helped Briga belt the outfit so the pants would not fall off her slight frame.

"Is there anything else you need of me Miss Briga?"

"Uhm, yes I can't really walk, can you help me?"

"Yes. I suppose it will take a while for your foot to heal properly." Mary aided Briga into descending the stairs and make it into the study. Mary deposited Briga into a chair that had been placed by the easel where an enormous blank canvas rested waited.

"What on earth does he have planned for this?" Briga muttered looking at the sheer size of the canvas; it was large enough to do a full length life size portrait of Reaver. She really hoped that he was not going to make her paint him standing there. Mary was about to leave when Reaver came striding into the room holding in his hand a fine cane and dressing in a red and gold suit with black detailing that would have been extravagant for royalty. Along with that he wore a spun gold cape that had similar black detailing as the suit.

"Put it over there boys!" He said with a cheery tone and a wave of the cane at the place where he had posed last time. A moment later two men came slowly into the room carrying a large chair. No it was not a chair, it was a throne. Briga's eyes went wide as another two men carried in a decorated chest that by the way they were carrying it looked heavy as all get out. The final thing to enter caused Mary to jump in surprise and Briga to stand on her bad foot just to be a few more inches away from the cage that held a snarling balvarine.

"Are you serious?!" Briga asked her tone rising in alarm as the balvarine reached through the bars of the cage trying to claw at her. Reaver turned pulling his Dragonstomper and fired. There was a wail of pain from the balvarine as it drew it's now bloodied hand back into the cage a hole through the center of its palm.

"Of course! The picture would not be complete without a balvarine…are you wearing my shirt?" Reaver asked as his haughty tone turned amused when he took in Briga's appearance. Briga blushed under his gaze. Yes they were his clothes and they were far too big for her as they hung loosely. It took a great deal of effort to keep the collar of the shirt from slipping off her shoulder. The buttons ending a few inches below the neck line intending to expose some of the pirate's collar bone. This only worked against Briga at the present however.

"Master Reaver did you want the balvarine in its cage -?" Bang. The man who had been asking the question fell to the ground next to the cage with the quivering balvarine.

"I truly detest repeating myself. So who remembers what I said?" Reaver asked the other five men who had been moving the items into the room.

"Chair in the center, chest toppled over contents spilling, balvarine fed and out of the cage on the other side of the chair." One man said quickly before Reaver killed another one of them. A cruel smile spread across Reavers face and said.

"Make use of that fool there and feed the balvarine then get that cage off to the side of the room." The men did as instructed pushed the corpse of the man to the edge of the balvarine cage the beast looking quickly at Reaver then lunged for the corpse pulling what it could through the bars. Briga had to look away or she was sure she would throw up. Mary gave a small squeak as she watched in horror as the balvarine ate the man. The men went to arranging the things that Reaver had them bring in. Briga looked to Mary and said quietly.

"Mary leave, I don't need you now." The maid looked to Reaver for permission but when he did not so much as look at her she took that as an a yes and left with a hasty step. Reaver had turned his attention onto Briga who did not look at him for the balvarine cage sat behind Reaver and thus in her line of sight. He stood in front of her and with the barrel of his pistol turned her to look directly into his eyes.

"Why are you in my clothes?" He asked softly as the sound of coins spilling across the floor filled the room.

"I did not want to wear a dress and these were the only shirt and trousers Mary could find." Briga wanted terribly to take a step back and retreat away from Reaver but she was oddly balanced on her good foot while she tried to manage the pain of her injured foot with even the slight amount of weight she was placing on it now. She knew that if she tried to back away she would lose her balance and so it became a stand-off between the two. They both knew who would win.

Reaver looked down at Briga's body savoring the sight he was given by the looseness of his shirt on her. Briga blushed but did not dare move; too many things could likely kill her in the room at the moment. A heart attack was top of the list at the moment, that or dying of embarrassment. She knew exactly what kind of view Reaver had at the present and could not do a thing about it.

Reaver drew the end of the barrel gently down her neck the cool metal ghosting across her skin causing her to shiver. He paused for a moment when the barrel reached her collar bone and then began to pull it lower across her skin moving the cloth of his shirt in the process. Briga's hand came up quickly grasping the shirt and held the collar tight about her preventing Reaver from moving it further and exposing her. A smirk spread across his face as he pulled her by the back of her neck forward so that their lips collided. Briga gave a surprised squeak and froze in Reaver hold; he however did not let her go and tilted his head slightly deepening the kiss.

Briga did not understand what she felt when Reaver kissed her. She was scared, and excited. She wanted to run but she did not. She wanted him to touch her and to not let her go. When he tilted his head slightly she became very weak in his grasp as she began to savor the contact of his lips against hers. She did not realize she had leaned into him or that he had holstered his pistol and now held her against him. When Reaver finally broke the kiss he left Briga short of breath as she looked into his eyes that now smoldered with desire.

Suddenly the fear was back, the nervousness and the urge to run. In those eyes was the promise that he would please her every carnal need, but there was also the promise that should she allow him to go any further he would not stop. Much like he had not listened when they woke together after the party. The growl from the balvarine drew Reavers attention as he turned on the beast and away from Briga who gave a silent sigh of relief. She never would have thought having a balvarine in the room would be a saving grace.

The creature was out of the cage now a thick metal collar around its neck chaining it to a holding that Briga had not noticed before it was mounted in the floor. Then men moved the cage off to the side of the room in it the remains of the man who had been shot moments before, and Reaver went and stood before the balvarine pistol in hand as he pointed it at the monsters face.

"You now are going to be a good little pet for this, or I will kill you. Needless to say you won't be placing one harry claw onto her either." Reaver said with a gesture of his pistol at Briga. Watching the whole ordeal Briga noticed two things in particular. Firstly Reaver and the balvarine had the same look in their eyes as they considered each other, it was a dangerous look that Briga did not expect to see from a person, it was a look of an animal, a monster. Secondly the balvarine was trembling under Reaver's gaze its injured hand held protectively close to its body. The balvarine lowered its head slightly as it cowered lower to the ground before Reaver. Reaver gave a satisfied smile and ruffled the fur on the top of the balvarine's head then stood up turning to Briga.

"We can get started now." With that he took a seat in the throne slouching low taking a casual and bored pose the balvarine crouching at his feet on one side of the throne the spilt chest of gold and other treasures on the other side.

"You are really going to sit like that?" Briga asked as she sat herself in the chair.

"Yes, why? Do you think that this is a bad pose?" Reaver asked concerned that the pose he had chosen might not be the best.

"It's not that, just your back is going to hurt after sitting like that for a painting." Reaver chuckled and said with a smirk.

"So concerned for my wellbeing, you are finally warming up to me?"

"No, I just don't want to deal with how grumpy you are going to be when your back is stiff as a board from sitting like that."

"Don't concern yourself over me, my pet just get to work." Briga gave a sigh but opened a few jars of paint that had been sealed with wax and started working. As Briga worked she noticed that the balvarine was watching her curiously, almost intelligently. Briga was not sure if a balvarine retained any of its prior human emotion or reasoning ability. She assumed that they much like hobbs had forgotten such things and were just a monster roaming the wilds of Albion. It was slightly unnerving; Briga assumed that the balvarine had been some wild one that Reaver got the grand idea to turn into a pet. He certainly had the creature trained well enough, Briga was sure that if one looked at the balvarines skin under its thick fur it would have several scars from being shot.

"You never answered my question." Briga said looking away from the balvarine to Reaver.

"What question is that my pet?"

"Why did you bother to save me?" Reaver smiled before speaking.

"Because you are the only competent painter in all of Albion."

"Hardly, you were ready to kill me before. Painter or no. So what is the real reason?"

"Well I have not had you yet, you are quite a wild thing and I have not had the pleasure of taming you yet." Reaver said getting that look in his eyes again as if he was mentally undressing her, this caused Briga to blush and shift uncomfortable in her chair.

"So what did happen the night of the party then?" Reaver gained an amused smile and said.

"You truly do not remember? My how little you can drink, but no I did not have you that night. You showed surprising skill with strip poker."

"Is that why you were naked?"

"Indeed, then you became quite too drunk and passed out before I could persuade you to remove that corset of yours." Reaver said with a slight chuckle before continuing. "You were quite alright with cuddling up to me though; I must say I have never had a woman who I had not bedded fit herself to me so closely. I had assumed that you were quite willing when you woke and did not immediately pull away from me." Briga blushed as she turned her attention to the canvas she was working on and muttered.

"Sorry about kneeing you…"

"Tsk, if you were truly sorry then you wouldn't have done it in the first place. Why in the world did you freak out and do that anyway?" Reaver asked as he glanced down at the balvarine noticing it was watching Briga. He wondered idly what the balvarive was thinking as it watched Briga. True the balvarine had been one that he had caught in the wild on an impulse. He saw the creature to be potentially useful to him if he could properly break the creature. This particular balvarine had been caught with the scraps of clothing still hanging off its body proving that it had once been a human and was not wild bred.

"I don't really know…something about what you said was…truly terrifying and I am not sure why." Reaver watched Briga now his eyes narrow as she spoke. She had not made eye contact with him since she apologized. Reaver could not decide if it was because she was lying or telling the truth. When she did look him in the eyes he saw the fear at the memory of that moment in her pale grey eyes. So she was telling the truth. Reaver shifted slightly as he tried to adjust his position slightly, he hated to admit even to himself that Briga had been right he was feeling stiff after only a few hours of sitting there.

Briga let the conversation die as Reaver did not respond to her explanation. She was not satisfied with the answer he gave her for why he did not kill her. There was more than him just wanting to bed her, more that he was not telling her. She would have fled back to the marshes the moment her foot was well enough to run on, but the fact that the banshees turned on her made her hesitant to seek refuge in the foggy land. As it was now she was truly trapped more by her injuries than Reaver. She was sure that if she had been in good health she could have escaped Reaver and gotten far enough away from him and Bloodstone to be out of his reach.

Two more hours passed before Reaver stood and marked the end of Briga's painting session for the moment. He stretched his hands over head and the balvarine edged away from him causing the chain to rattle. Reaver walked away from the balvarine and to Briga offering her his arm he said with a cheery tone.

"Come along now my pet." Briga gave him a wary look but took his arm, they both knew she was not going anywhere without help. Reaver led her from the room leaving the balvarine still chained up by the throne. Briga looked back at the beast and saw that it watched them with that same curious look.

"What are we doing?" Briga asked as Reaver led her through the house.

"Why having lunch of course."

"Is it ok to leave that balvarine just…out like that?"

"Oh he won't do anything. I have trained him well. He was such a trouble at first but learned quickly. Pity it is such a weak thing. It would be so much more convenient if it could change back to a human."

"They can do that?"

"I have seen some that can yes. This one is too weak of mind to ever do such a thing."

"Does it still think like a human?" Briga asked and Reaver contemplated the question for a moment then spoke.

"I suppose it is possible, but I would highly doubt it has such complex thoughts as we do. From what I gather becoming a balvarine causes you to become very animalistic in mind." Briga thought on the subject, something stirred in the back of her mind that there were balvarines that could indeed transform into humans at will and were capable of speaking and even manipulating people into traps. Something told her that the older stronger white balvarines were the ones capable of doing this, and not the brown one that was chained up in the study.

When they arrived at the dining room Reaver let Briga go next to her chair and then sat himself at the head of the table. Briga helped herself to a fresh apple and cut it into slices before eating it.

"How long are you going to need to finish that painting?" Reaver asked as he loaded up his plate with food and began to eat.

"You getting stiff already?" Briga asked trying to hide the amusement at being right about his pose.

"Just answer me."

"I can get the balvarine done by the end of today if you are fine with sitting for another four hours at least. To get the whole thing done, I would guess somewhere between three and four long days." Reaver made a sour face but let it quickly fade, he was determined to have the painting finished. There were so many images he wanted of himself and looking like a king was top of the list. They finished lunch quickly and Reaver aided Briga back to the chair next to the easel, in the time that they had spent eating lunch the balvarine had curled up on the rug, it was awake and watching them as they entered and shifted slightly its injured hand laying awkwardly away from its body. The wound had stopped bleeding but it treated the wound like it was still open.

Briga gave a sigh and continued working on the canvas as Reaver sat in his same slouched position. After a time Reaver spoke, Briga was beginning to realize that he was such a social creature that sitting silently for hours on end was fundamentally contradictory to his nature.

"I think I like you in my clothing. It is like you spent the night with me and had nothing to wear the next morning."

"You keep on fantasizing about that, because that's what it is a fantasy."

"We could make it a reality." Briga gave a small laugh.

"Right you, me and the balvarine there. Throw in a bowl of pudding and it's a world class show." Briga said shaking her head slightly, Reaver smiled mischievously.

"What a beautiful and inappropriate thing you are. Such a deviant!" Briga looked at him realizing he was seriously considering the possibility of that threesome. He moved as if he was going to get up and Briga just knew that he was going to order for a bowl of pudding.

"I won't do that with you. Pudding or not you are not having me." Briga said which caused Reaver to settle back in the throne but he retained that smile.

"Why did you suggest it if you were not interested?"

"It is called sarcasm, if I had my way I would not be touched by you or a balvarine." Reaver feigned a hurt expression and said in an exaggerated tone.

"Do you truly find me so repulsive? Let alone poor Marcus! Who has done you no wrong." Reaver gestured at the balvarine at the mention of the name.

"Yes. To the both of you. Why do you even have a pet balvarine?"

"You certainly weren't complaining when I kissed you earlier. Marcus is the result of a great deal of boredom."

"So you got a pet balvarine? Wouldn't a dog be a…safer choice?"

"I haven't time for training such a needy thing. A balvarine learns quickly, it was once human after all."

"I think I would still prefer a dog, less likely to tear my face off." Reaver just rolled his eyes at this and resumed his pose. Briga gave a sigh and continued her work. A long while later, how long it truly was Briga did not know but a knock came at the door. Then Mary poked her head into the room and said.

"Excuse me Master Reaver dinner is prepared if you are ready to eat." At the mention of food the balvarine Marcus looked to where his cage sat the remains of the man still sitting inside waiting in a stinking heap.

"Hmm yes I do believe I am ready. Finish up for the day little bird." Reaver said turning his attention to Briga who rolled her eyes but dropped her brush into the jar and took a large piece of cloth and began prepping it to cover the painting. Reaver walked quickly to stand next to the chair quickly looking at the partly finished painting before Briga covered it. He frowned.

"What have I been sitting here and posing for all day?" Briga looked at the painting and knew what he was talking about, she had painted everything on the floor around Reaver but had not even began to paint Reaver himself. There was only the blank outline of where he would be.

"If you weren't posing then I would have wasted paint filling in areas that I did not need to." Reaver gave an exaggerated sigh, he would not admit to it but he was stiff from sitting so and did not look forward to another day of the same pose. He stretched again and walked over to Marcus unchaining the balvarine.

Marcus stretched out for a moment before taking a leap and landing on top of the cage across the room. He pulled the cage door open and crawled inside, it did not pull the cage door closed but looked out again at Briga then turned its attention to the left overs from its morning meal. Reaver walked casually over and closed the cage door sliding a bolt into place effectively locking it.

"Why does it keep looking at me?" Briga asked as she finished draping the oiled cloth over the painting. Reaver glanced at her and said.

"I would suspect he is wondering if you are ever going to say hello, you know from one pet to another." To this Briga frowned at Reaver and said.

"I am not your pet."

"Mary," Reaver said addressing the maid who had remained in the room the entire time.

"Yes Master Reaver?"

"Take my little bird back to her cage. Give her dinner to Marcus."

"Yes Maste Reaver." Mary said walking to Briga taking her arm and leading her from the room. Briga did not say a word to Reaver as she left, she would not admit that she was peeved at the idea that he could choose if she ate or not. When Mary opened the door Briga's room she said softly.

"You should just do what he wants. It is easier that way."

"I don't want to do what he tells me, I am not his pet."

"Consider doing what he wants then when it will benefit your health. You need to focus on getting better."

"I might…" Briga said as she sat on the bed.

"At least sleep on the bed tonight then."

"Fine…" Briga said with a sigh, she was not in a mood to argue with Mary. The maid went to the dresser and pulled out a night dress. It was a lighter thing than the night shirt she had arrived at the mansion in. It was also a longer garment though the collar and much of the top of the night dress was lace covering very little. Briga took the dress from Mary and unbuttoned the shirt removing Reaver's clothing and pulled the dress on over her head. She was happy to be rid of the man's clothing he had taken far too much pleasure from seeing her in the garments. Mary took the shirt and trousers from Briga and left the room silently. Briga watched the closed door for a moment before flopping back on the bed with a heavy sigh. Her wounds ached and most of the pain was in her foot, she hoped that she would be afforded another health potion in the morning. Her injuries were taking an exceedingly long time to heal even with a health potion. She suspected that it was due to the fact that the wounds had become quite old before she was administered any sort of tonic to assist in healing. With no other options Briga rolled over and settled into the bed and closed her eyes.

(So everyone knows about Reaver's balvarine faze that we get a good view of in fable 3. I reasoned that he did not suddenly get a handle on managing balvarines. Also considering that Reaver has been around for several hundred years he would be constantly looking for things to keep him entertained. So why not pick up a balvarine while on his way through West Cliff? Leave me a review because Marcus the balvarine is watching)


	6. Chapter 6

Simpering Banshee Bitch 6:

Pain lanced across her back as the metal tailed whip was pulled back tearing free from the bleeding skin of her back. She screamed as the pain paired with the suffering the collar about her neck. Her vision wavered as she felt her experience being sapped from her. She knew that she had lost her ability to summon fire now. Her skill with sword and gun had already vanished, now it would not be long until she forgot how to Push. As the collar stopped its torment she lifted her head to look up at the face of her tormentor.

A scowl was deeply set into his unnatural face as watched her.

"OBEY!" he yelled as she pushed herself up off the stone floor her arms shaking. They both knew that she was going to pass out soon; they however were both too set in their ways to compromise and end the interaction. Before she was even standing the mutated man cracked the whip again beating her down to the stone floor again as pain shot through her back followed by the pain the collar caused. She cried out as the pain became too great and her world went black. The moment before she lost herself to the darkness she felt her ability to Push diminish to its weakest force. It felt as if all of her skill had been taken from her within moments. She knew it had been over a great deal of time that she lost her abilities, though it was impossible to tell time in the Spire.

When she woke again it was to the horrid face of that man glaring down at her. He reached down grabbing hold of her neck dragging her to stand then held her up in the air her feet a good two feet from the floor. Her hands came up grasping his arm in a feeble attempt to get loose; she was too weak to do anything more than that though.

"You will obey or you will die." He said in a venomous tone his unnatural eyes glaring at her he could feel her tremble with fear but she refused to let her eyes show such fear. Even now as she hung in the air gasping for breath she did not let the fear into her eyes. With a growl he threw her to the ground taking satisfaction in the sound of her gasping for air. He pulled the whip from where it hung at his side the metal tips clinking against the stone floor. She reflexively tensed hearing the metal against the stone, and then his attack came unyielding and vicious. He did not give any commands or try to control her; he only attacked beating her within an inch of her life.

Briga woke with a cry; she could not catch her breath. She was coated in sweat and her nightgown clung to her body. She looked around frantically trying to calm herself though she was still shaking that's when she saw the figure standing by the door. He stood tall watching her unmoving as if calculating her.

"Stay back!" Briga cried as she backed peddled from the man falling off the side of the bed with a yelp. Hands wrapped about her pulling her against him. Briga Pushed against the person that held her though he did not let her go and pulled her even closer.

"You are safe. Calm yourself little bird." Reaver's voice sounded in her ears and he held onto her tightly not allowing her to escape. Briga looked up at his face into his eyes realizing that he was not that man who had done such terrible things to her. Briga's hands curled into Reaver's shirt as she held onto him shaking. She leaned her head against his shoulder ashamed that she was in such a state but grateful that Reaver was there at that moment. Reaver did not expect Briga to cling to him as she did. He had gone into her room after hearing cries; he had been hesitant to wake her and rightly so. When she had woken she had not recognized him. She had even tried pushing him away with the use of her will. Now that she recognized him she had held onto him her entire body shaking. She cried silently in his arms and Reaver was quite unsure what to do with her at this point. He had never had to concern himself over the emotions of others before now. For a moment they remained unmoving sitting on the floor as Briga calmed herself.

"Why can I not remember anything? Am I so broken?" Briga asked her voice barely audible, she didn't meet Reaver's gaze as she asked this. Though her crying had stopped and she was now shaking less, she still held tightly to Reaver. She was still living that horror in her mind the images and feelings of the events still fresh. She knew that it was not some nightmare, it had been far too vivid and her body ached with phantom injuries. Reaver however did not answer her, how could he? He had spent so much of his life focused only on himself that now when someone needed him to comfort them he was ill equipped to do so.

"Does it matter if you are?" To this Briga looked up at him confusion in her expression.

"What?"

"If you are broken then fix yourself. Who gives a shit if you can't remember your past? Those memories are useless if they break you down like this. Forget them." Briga let go of Reaver and pulled away from him. He let her go and she rocked back sitting a little ways from him. Reaver watched her she was still shaking slightly but she had lost the fear from her gaze locking it away somewhere deep inside, something she did unknowingly he suspected.

"You are right, sorry to have bothered you. Your concern is unnecessary." Briga said as she tried to stand despite her injured foot. Biting her lip to keep silent she stood the pain shooting through her foot at standing she hobbled the few steps to the edge of the bed and sat quickly. Reaver had a hard time believing that the woman before him was the same that owned half of Bowerstone and was a crucible champion. Her loss of memory had crafted an entirely different person from whom she had been, it was a curiosity if she would return to her former personality when she remembered her past or not. She was beginning to remember, all Reaver had to do was wait and see what she did.

"This is the least bothersome you have been little bird. Do you want company should your nightmares return?" Reaver asked as he stood a devious smile spreading across his face as he looked at her in the silk and lace nightgown.

"No…I would rather be trying to sleep." Briga said after a moment knowing exactly how Reaver meant to keep her nightmares at bay. Reaver just shrugged and said as he started towards the door.

"Your loss, I am after all such a marvelous bed fellow." Briga frowned slightly as she listened to Reaver praise himself on his skills in the sack. She would have to find a way to make him disinterested in bedding her, for the simple fact that she was considering saying yes. Reaver left the room and Briga watched the door for a moment then with a sigh laid back down. Idly she wondered exactly what it would be like to be with a man, that man being Reaver.

_He is a very handsome man, if I am going to be with anyone it might as well be someone attractive like him. He would definitely be willing, he had offered just a moment ago. What am I thinking? I don't need him, I don't need any man. If I want to be had then I will be had by someone who actually cares. Reaver doesn't care, not really. He cares when it suits him; it was obvious that he has some reason to keep me alive. He won't tell me; no he doesn't want me to know why he wants me around. Maybe I could find out if I could get to the marsh, to Mother. I bet that is why he isn't allowing me out; Mother knows why he is keeping me alive. I couldn't possibly get there with this blasted foot, I guess I will have to wait for it to be healed. If that ever happens, why is this taking so long to heal?_

Briga laid there considering different aspects of her situation her mind eventually settling on contemplating her dream. She was sure it was true but she was not sure that she was now safe from it. That man, that monstrous man would hunt her. Perhaps he did not know she was alive and in that was her safety.

For the remainder of the night Briga did not find sleep instead laying and watching the sky out her window grow lighter until dawn came. With a sigh she got up limping over to the dresser and pulled it open to reveal an assortment of dresses, many more scandalous than what Briga would have chosen for herself. She brushed back the more revealing dresses, which were coincidently consisted of red and black and gold. Then there were a few dresses that were similar to the one that she wore to Reaver's party. Some held color and others were solid their detail coming from the embroidery and beading. All were too extravagant for day to day use and Briga was sure that the moment she tried painting in one of them would be the one time she got paint on herself. She delved further into the wardrobe searching for something a little more plain and manageable that was when she found the undergarments. Briga picked one up that was black and silky holding it up to look at it, and blushed. There was hardly any cloth to the garment and it was made entirely of fine lace hiding nothing that it covered.

Briga quickly returned the under garment and tried to look for something better to wear. She had to sift past several variations of the undergarments, some were red and some were black, others were decorated with ribbon and some even sparkled with gems. Briga was beet red when a knock came at the door and then Mary entered.

"Oh Miss Briga, what is the matter?"

"Is this really what he expects me to wear?" Mary came over to see what Briga was talking about and saw the undergarments and she blushed lightly as well.

"Yes, Wilfred had some more modest garments for you when Reaver requested the dresses from him. Only Reaver would not take them…he had these shipped in from his personal tailor…"

"So I have got nothing to wear unless its is extravagant or his clothes?"

"Actually, Reaver put it in no uncertain terms that if I let you wear anything that is not in the wardrobe I will be put into an early grave."

"Good to know…So what one is the most…modest?" Briga asked looking back into the wardrobe. Mary opened a few of the drawers and pulled out a green dress that had no true sleeves but a sheer yellow cloth acted as sleeves with a swooping collar.

"This is about as modest as they get. Though I think that we might be able to make the stuff in here cover more. I am pretty sure there is a shawl in here."

"I don't think I will fit into this dress." Briga said as she held the garment up looking at the tiny waist. Mary did not say anything but held up a corset in one hand while searching for the shawl. Briga groaned looking at the corset.

"I could have sworn there was a shawl here… I am sorry Miss Briga, but we don't have time to keep looking for the shawl. Master Reaver is expecting you downstairs in the dining room." Briga sighed and nodded slightly.

"There is no avoiding it is there?"

"I am sorry Miss Briga, it will hurt what with your wounds and that you are not used to wearing corsets."

"Just do it." Briga said softly, she held onto the footboard of the bed and stifled a cry when Mary pulled the cords on the corset tight. Mary tightened the corset past the point where Briga had worn it for Reaver's party.

"I am going to die!" Briga gasped out as Mary pulled the cords tighter. The corset that Mary was now crushing Briga's ribs with was of a sturdier construction than the one Wilfred had given her to wear. This corset did not give any signs of strain as Mary tightened it further. With one last pull Mary tugged the cords so much that Briga lost her grip on the footboard and fell backwards with a cry.

Briga lay on top of Mary in a pile on the floor. With a groan she rolled over off the maid and whimpered.

"I hate whoever made corsets."

"Am I not invited to the party?" Reaver said with an amused tone as he stood leaning against the door frame watching Briga and Mary. Briga was suddenly very grateful for the corset covering her torso as she saw Reaver. She had already donned the puffy pants that were worn under dresses thankful that those covered the lacy undergarments she wore. Still she was not keen on Reaver being in the room while she was in a state of half dress.

"Master Reaver!" Mary said in alarm as she stood quickly and helped Briga up.

"Go ensure breakfast is ready." Reaver said as he pushed off the door frame and entered the room. Mary gave Reaver a bow and left without a word.

"Reaver-" Briga said intending to tell him to get out as he advanced on her. He took hold of her waist turning her about and whispered into her ear.

"Pity that you are not getting undressed." He took hold of the cords and gave the corset one last pull causing Briga to fall against him. Briga quickly righted herself as Reaver tied the cords into a knot. She tried to move away from him only he did not let her go instead pulling her back to be held against him.

"What is your rush? Do you not want a potion?" Briga turned in his hold so that she was facing him and he smiled down at her one hand still on her waist as he held up a small potion bottle shaking it tauntingly. Briga reached for the bottle to have Reaver pull it out of her grasp holding it over his head that smug smile still across his face. He flicked the cork off and poured the potion into his mouth, dropping the now empty bottle to fall onto the plush rug he took hold of the back of Briga's neck and kissed her.

Briga was wide eye with shock as he moved his mouth against hers causing her to open her mouth as he forced her to drink the potion. When the task was complete he did not release her however. Turning the force feeding of the potion into an actual kiss. Briga closed her eyes and let herself be swept away. Reaver broke the kiss for a moment allowing Briga to take a much needed breath before assailing her mouth again. Reaver ran his tongue across Briga's lips and she opened her mouth again and he slid his tongue into her mouth exploring every crevasse and wrapping his tongue about hers enticing her to participate. Briga did so as she pushed his tongue back and slid around it into his mouth. Reaver gave a throaty growl as he battled with her tongue. Briga gave a soft moan as Reaver pushed her back to the edge of the bed then took her down falling against the plush mattress. The kiss broke as they landed on the bed Briga's breath coming quick as she looked at Reaver seeing lust in his gaze. He did not waste time as his began kissing down her neck making his way towards her collar bone and from there her breasts.

Briga pushed against Reaver's chest when a realization hit her. One that at that moment would make itself known.

Grrrooowwwllll…. Briga blushed as Reaver gave her an extremely amused look as the sound of Briga's stomach growling died down. He laughed and rolled off of her to sit next to her.

"You really do have a talent for keeping me at bay don't you?" Reaver asked a smile upon his face as he looked at Briga who was still blushing.

"You didn't let me have dinner so…I'm hungry." She said meekly embarrassed of the string of events that now led to Reaver openly laughing at her.

"Very well my little bird shall we have a bite to eat, then we can continue this." Reaver said brushing a lock of uneven hair out of Briga's face who replied.

"We should get that painting done…" With that she stood and hobbled over to where the green dress lay waiting. Briga pulled the thing over her head and tugging it on. Reaver smiled slightly as he watched her she would soon be his; there was no doubt in his mind now. It was only a matter of time and circumstance. Briga did not turn to face him as she fixed the buttons on the front of her dress.

"Well step too dear! I would much rather not be stuck in that god awful chair any longer than needed. You will have to paint fast or I don't think I will be able to move to satisfy you after." Briga did not respond to him only finished buttoning the dress then started towards the door. Reaver rolled his eyes and came up behind Briga picking her up he carried her from the room and down the hall.

"Reaver what are you doing? Put me down." Briga said her face red as Reaver carried her off towards the dining room.

"It is quite pathetic watching you try to walk. I am not in the mood to watch you pretend that you can walk and I am certainly not in the mood to give you time to change your mind." Briga groaned in annoyance and Reaver gave her a disapproving look.

"What on earth was that for?"

"I don't want to do anything with you Reaver."

"Oh? Then what my dear was that in your room?"

"A moment of weakness brought on by you forcing yourself on me." Briga said blushing not meeting Reaver's eyes.

"Well you were certainly enjoying it."

"You are a scoundrel."

"A charming scoundrel."

"No just a scoundrel."

"You find me charming."

"I find you annoying."

"You are in denial."

"Mostly regretful."

"Of not letting me properly ravish you, yes it is a pity."

"Of agreeing to stay here…"

"You make it sound like I forced you to stay here."

"You did."

"Oh contraire mon cheri. I gave you a choice."

"Right here or the whore house. So many choices! I blame you for my situation."

"What are you going on about? Nothing that has happened to you is my fault."

"Yes it is. If you hadn't freaked me out then I wouldn't have been attacked by the banshees in the marsh."

"How is my freaking you out cause for the banshee's to attack you?"

"You know how banshees tell you things you fear as they attack, well the banshee told me to 'obey' before it attacked. You said that same word when you pinned me to the wall. So it is your fault."

"I think you are taking too many assumptions, you cannot even remember why that scares you. So I am hardly at fault." Briga looked at him giving him an 'are you serious' look, Reaver held her gaze challenging her to continue arguing with him. They had reached the dining room and now Reaver just stood there still holding Briga in his arms. The food was set onto the table but both ignored the food, they remained silent holding the challenge between their gaze.

Grrrrrrooowwwwwwwlllllllll…. Briga looked away blushing as Reaver laughed lightly and let her down next to her chair. She sat in the chair waiting for Reaver to also sit. Once he did so Briga reached out plating some scrambled eggs and several slices of bacon.

"You eat meat?" Reaver asked in slight surprise.

"Yes, why?"

"I have never seen you touch anything but fruit; I assumed you were some puritan."

"So I should assume you only eat crunchy chicken because you are a deprived, lust filled deviant scoundrel?"

"Oh please, I would be a mass of fat if I ate crunchy chicken. I have a reputation to maintain. That does not include excess weight from crunchy chicken." Briga laughed lightly despite herself, even Reaver was smiling as he casually bit a piece of bacon in half.

_When did we become so casual with each other? He is almost like a real person_. Briga thought to herself as she ate her breakfast. The meal was finished quickly, Briga was grateful for the food silencing her stomach.

"Shall we finish that painting then?" Reaver asked as he held his arm out for Briga to take again. He had to admit the fact that she could hardly walk even with help was an inconvenience but the fact that it also prevented her from running off was worth it.

Briga took Reaver's arm as he helped her to the study where in the balvarine gave a whine from its cage. Briga jumped slightly at the sound, she had not expected the balvarine to still be there. In passing Reaver pulled the bolt from the cage lock and Marcus pushed the door open crawling out to perch on top of the cage waiting for Reaver to give instruction.

"Why is that monster still here? I finished painting it yesterday."

"We are all monsters little bird. Some are just easier to recognize than others."

"We are not monsters Reaver." He gave a sad smile before speaking to her.

"We are the worst because we pretend that we are not monsters." Reaver left Briga at the easel and pointed to the place Marcus sat the other day. The balvarine went to where Reaver directed and huddled down as the pirate himself flopped down into the throne resuming his slouching position.

"You are not a monster." Briga said softly as she removed the oiled cloth and began to load a brush with paint.

"Coming from the girl who thinks banshees are her family." Reaver said pointing out that Briga clearly did not know what a monster was.

"Just because they are monsters to most does not make them monsters to me. They had always treated me well."

"Until they tried to kill you."

"Monsters don't save people."

"It was a monster that saved you."

"So what happened that a monster saved me?"

"Some monsters still find you valuable." Briga sighed at Reavers answer, or lack thereof.

"Why won't you tell me the real reason you saved me?"

"Because it is not important or pertinent to you."

"Like hell it is. It caused you to save me and that is pertinent to me."

"Why do you want to know so badly?"

"Because I want to know exactly how much I owe you. I doubt you are going to train me to use a gun at this point so I am trying to figure how long I am going to be here painting for you."

"You don't trust me to tell you when your debt is paid?"

"Of course not. No matter what I tried you have managed to trap me here with you."

"I will tell you when your debt is paid." Reaver said curtly.

"Not like I could run away." Briga said with a heavy sigh as she worked. The remainder of the day went by quickly, or at least it did for Briga who was not slouching an a chair the entire time. When dinner was finished and the tabled cleared Mary entered the room standing quietly next to the door.

"Shall we continue our morning activities?" Reaver asked looking at Briga who shook her head.

"No, I am tired." Reaver gave a disappointed sigh and motioned for Mary to come forward. Mary did as she was bid helping Briga to stand and led her from the dining hall. As she helped Briga up the stairs she asked.

"How is your foot feeling?"

"It is like the health potions are not doing a thing for me. It helped with the cuts that were mostly healed, but it has done nothing for my foot."

"Perhaps I should take a look at it, if the wound has become tainted then that would explain why the potions are not working."

"Probably a good plan." Briga said as Mary helped her up the last flight of stairs and down the hall into her room. Briga sat herself on the bed and propped her foot up to rest on the bed. Mary sat at the foot of the bed and gingerly pulled the bandages from Briga's foot. The subtle sent of purification came from the bandages and when Briga's foot was revealed the area around the wound was red and swollen.

"How bad is it?" Briga asked as she watched Mary.

"It has gone septic. This would explain why the potions are not working properly. They have been working against the infection and not healing the wound."

"How could I have not noticed this?"

"Miss Briga, health potions primary goal is to eliminate pain and then heal. You have not noticed this because the potions have been dulling the pain."

"What do I do then?" Mary looked towards the door for a moment and then said.

"We tell Reaver. Miss I do not have the skill to deal with this properly. A physician will have to be called, only… Reaver must make this choice. Physicians are expensive." Briga groaned and said.

"So what happens if we try and handle this on our own?"

"Miss you could lose your foot to the infection, or even your life. It is a miracle that this has not poisoned you yet." Briga gave another groan and nodded slightly.

"Alright…Tell Reaver. I hate having my life dependent on that man's mood though."

"I will return in a moment Miss. This is the best choice." Mary said as she left the room. Briga gave a heavy sigh and wondered exactly how much a physician cost. She was sure that the expense would be added to her debt. Several minutes passed before there was a gunshot sound then the door opened quickly Mary entering in a rush and held the door open for Reaver who looked pissed off as he entered. Smoke trailed from the barrel of his pistol which he still held and Briga paled.

Reaver glared back over his shoulder at the hallway, when he looked to Briga he was still glaring and he said.

"Just how long were you going to wait to tell me that you were getting worse?" Briga looked down and said.

"I was not aware that I had a problem…" Reaver gave a frustrated sigh.

"Damn it woman, you just want to make my life difficult." Reaver pointed his pistol at Mary and said.

"You are to ensure that she does not leave this room until the physician arrives."

"Y-yes Master Reaver!" She said with frightened stammer, Reaver turn his pistol on Briga now and shot the bed next to her. Briga jumped slightly and watched Reaver warily.

"You dare keep anything like this from me again and I will shoot you." Briga nodded slightly showing him that she understood and with a frustrated sound Reaver left the room. Mary relaxed a little as Reaver left the room and she looked to Briga then brought the washbasin over and said.

"I am going to wash the wound."

"Who got shot?" Briga asked softly, the door was still open and she was not inclined to have Reaver come back with the mood he was in.

"One of the guards…He said that Reaver should just let you die. That a painter was not worth the effort and expense."

"So he shot someone because they wanted to get rid of me? That doesn't sound like Reaver at all."

"Hmm, yes. He does seem different since the banshee event. Very…protective of you I guess is how I would put it."

"Do you know what happened with that? I have no idea why he is being like this."

"Miss, no one knows why Reaver has kept you around. You two were the only ones to come back from the marsh that night."

"Only ones? You mean he sent the house guards into the marsh?"

"Yes, they were all slaughtered by banshees. Or at least that is what everyone has come to believe."

"I am never going to get him to tell me why- Ow!" Briga gave a cry as Mary put pressure on the wound. Mary gave an apologetic look and wrapped clean bandages about Briga's foot.

"I can't say that he will. I just ask that you don't try and sneak off until your foot is better Miss. I rather like living."

"Don't worry I will not get you killed."

"Thank you Miss. Now I would suggest getting some rest. We have to keep you as healthy as possible until the physician arrives." With this Mary stood and left closing the door on her way out. Briga laid back on the bed with a forlorn sigh. She knew that she needed help only she was honestly frightened of what that would entail. She had never considered herself to be a brave person, or an adventurer yet she wondered what exactly she was now.

In the hallway there was the sound of several people laughing as they passed her door their voices fading as they ventured further down the hall. Reaver's 'guests' for the night Briga assumed.

She turned her head burying her face into a pillow. What was she? She had once been strong; why else would that monstrous man from her dreams have been so determined on making her obey. She knew better than to think she was that strong now, she suspected that if faced by that…thing again she would not have withstood its tormenting. Briga closed her eyes trying to remember her past, to remember beyond the marshes and further still than that evil man from her dream. Frustrating though she could bring no memory to the forefront of her mind, there was only the emptiness like the darkness that came with a moonless night.

"Who am I?" Briga whispered to the darkness before falling silent in an attempt to find sleep.

( Ok so I think this chapter is kind of awkward and I realize that I haven't actually written many steamy moments before. I usually glaze over such moments but seeing as this is a fic with everyone's beloved Reaver I really cant glaze over those moments. So sorry if you get the awkwardness of me trying to write steamy bits and not succeeding. Reviews would help here. )


	7. Chapter 7

Simpering Banshee Bitch 7:

Briga woke to a fit of coughing; she had hardly slept the past three days since Reaver proclaimed her bedridden. The infection in her foot became worse and now the health potions that were provided for her were barely keeping the infection at bay. As a result of the potions inability to destroy the infection Briga had fallen ill with blood poisoning.

Mary came over to Briga wiping her forehead with a cool cloth. Briga shivered under a mountain of blankets and Mary watched with a concerned expression. She knew that if the physician did not arrive soon it would not matter if he ever arrived. Mary set the cloth aside and looked at Briga's injured foot which was kept out from under the blankets. It was swollen terribly and the veins that could be seen in her foot were dark from the poisoning. It was as if all the color in Briga's skin had gone to her foot as she was white as a sheet yet her foot was an angry red color.

"Mary?" Briga asked in a hoarse voice not moving to look for the maid. Mary moved to be in Briga's line of sight and said.

"Yes Miss?"

"Can I have some water?" Mary nodded and said.

"I will be back in a moment." Briga did not hear this as she drifted off to an uneasy sleep. She had been unable to remain awake for long since she fell ill because of her injury. This however did not give her reprieve from her nightmares. If anything they felt lingering as if the moments she was awake were the dreams and not the other way around.

The moment she closed her eyes Briga opened them to a feeling of dread as the thrumming of the structure she was in began once more. She could not move from where she lay on the cold stone, the monster of a man had beaten her so severely that she could not even lift her head. Footsteps came as the footsteps of doom and Briga began to tremble with fear. She knew not where she found the strength for even that meager movement. A pair of boots stopped before her face and a hand took hold of the collar about her neck pulling her up by it. She was sure that the monster would have taken hold of her by her shirt if it had enough strength to hold up to pulling her weight. As it was the back of the shirt was shredded exposing her scarred and carved back. The only thing that kept the shirt on her still was the few scraps of cloth about her arms that prevented her from being exposed.

'Why fight? You will never leave this place and you will never escape me. Why not make this easy? Give in, Obey." The creature that held Briga up before him spoke. He towered over her as he had towered over everyone else. Briga did not answer him, she was not sure she could.

He pulled her close their faces inches apart, the scowl fixed on his face Briga looked into his milky pupil-less eyes. Her expression must have angered him because he threw her to the ground before her entire body clenched as an unmanageable amount of energy flowed through her as she was hit with a bolt of lightning.

Briga woke with a gasp followed by a bought of coughing. Mary had returned glass of water in hand. She came to Briga's side and helped her to sit up before bringing the glass to her lips.

"Slowly Miss." Mary said as Briga sputtered unable to down amount of water she had taken.

The door to the room opened and Reaver entered behind him followed a man carrying a large tote bag.

"This is the girl?" The man asked and Reaver turned on him pistol in hand the gun pointed at the man.

"Yes, know this though. She dies and so do you." The man paled slightly and said.

"Of course sir. I pride myself in having never lost a patient before. I would be ashamed to continue working should that change."

"Good! We understand each other. Now get to work. Come come!" Reaver said waving his pistol towards Briga. The physician walked into the room setting his bag on the bedside table and opened it rifling through the items. He pulled out a small bottle with a white liquid inside it and handed it to Mary.

"Have her drink this." Mary took the bottle and asked.

"What will this do to her?"

"It is going to give her some energy and help her with the pain some. Now how bad had it gotten?" The physician said going to look at Briga's foot while Mary coaxed her to drink the tonic. The man made a annoyed sound and went back to the bag moving it to the ground and started pulling several items out setting them on the table.

Mary convinced Briga to drink the tonic. The moment it touched her lips she gagged slightly but forced the remainder of the tonic down. It was unbelievable bitter and reminded her of the hobbe water that was served at the bar. Almost as soon as that bitter taste registered in her mind Briga began feeling more alert and awake. She felt as she had before falling ill, though there was still that weak feeling in her limbs as if they had been worked terribly long.

"Miss, how do you feel?" Mary asked noting that Briga was looking about.

"A bit better… Are you the Physician?" Briga asked the man while also taking note that Reaver stood leaning against the vanity watching.

"Yes, I am Charles. You dear are in worse condition than I was led to believe." The man said with a pointed look at Reaver

"Will I be able to walk again?" Briga asked hoping that Reaver would ignore the snide comment at the moment. Reaver did not miss the comment and his eyes narrowed as he watched the man but he did nothing at the present. Briga was sure that the physician would not enjoy the retribution that Reaver dealt out for such a comment.

"If I can remove the toxins from your wound and blood then yes." He said as he turned back towards her holding a jar filled with water in the bottom a mass of black forms moving about. In the other hand he held a pair of long tweezers.

"Oh no! You are not putting those things on me!" Briga said as she tried to push herself back and away from Charles.

"Calm down girl they are just leeches, they will help purge the tainted blood from your system."

"You are not putting those things on me! I don't care if they will help. I would rather spend a week bedridden than have those things on me." Briga said as Mary held her shoulders keeping her from retreating.

"If you don't let them do their work then it will hurt far more when I work on your foot."

"I'd rather the pain."

"You are being ridiculous girl." Charles said as he took the top off the jar and reached in with the tweezers to grasp a leech. A force hit Charles' hands and the jar throwing them from his hold to crash to the floor the jar breaking leeches scattered many killed by the broken glass. Charles looked at Briga as she lowered her hand shaking slightly; she looked about ready to faint.

"Girl you are making this harder on yourself." Charles said miffed that his leeches were now on the ground. He took the tweezers to try and salvage some of the leeches but paused as a fine boot came down on a leech crushing it onto the wooden floor. Charles looked up to see Reaver frowning at Briga.

"You are being a pain."

"I don't need leeches sucking my blood to make me better."

"Charles forget about the leeches and begin tending the wound." Reaver said as he glanced down at the man. Chalres nodded and left the leeches where they were and collected a small surgical knife from the table along with a bottle of alcohol and several pieces of cotton.

"Brace yourself girl, this will hurt." Charles said before he took the knife and cut the wound open. Briga reflexively pulled away from him with a cry of the pain.

"Hold still girl." Charles said annoyed but Briga was not inclined to listen to him, she was only aware of the fact that should she hold still the man would cut into her foot again.

"Jeffry." Reaver said in a cool tone and a moment later the doorman Jeffry and another house servant entered.

"Yes Master Reaver?" Jeffry asked looking concerned at Briga.

"Hold her still so the man can work."

"Yes sir." Jeffry said and motioned for the other servant to follow him. One took hold on Briga's leg and the other took hold of one of Briga's arms, Mary holding onto her other arm.

"Please try to stay still Miss." Mary said as she held onto Briga who did not respond. Charles waited for a moment then took his knife back to Briga's foot and finished cutting the old wound open. Briga jerked and bit her lip trying to not cry out in pain though she knew that it would be a futile attempt. Briga turned her head away from Charles resting it against Mary's shoulder giving a cry of pain as more pain shot through her foot. There was another spike of pain and Briga pulled her leg violently away from Charles, Jeffry gave a grunt as she pulled him along with her leg.

Jeffry pulled her leg straight again and rested his entire body weight on it to try and hold her steady. Briga was not sure what Charles did to her foot but such a sharp acute pain shot through her entire leg at that point that she gave a cry and reflexively Pushed out from all directions. Mary, Jeffry, Charles and the other house servant were thrown back by the Push. Reaver having anticipated her reaction by the slight glow that came to her skin, had taken a strong stance and remained stationary.

"Girl I cannot help you if you keep attacking me!" Charles said in a frustrated tone as he picked himself up off the floor. Jeffry and Mary stood and considered Briga with a wary expression. They had never seen her will before. Charles had been about to say something more when Reaver sat on the bed behind Briga and pulled her to sit between his leg, his arms wrapping about her holding her tightly. He frowned at how Briga shuddered in his hold. He had expected having to assist in holding Briga still for the physician but he had not expected her to behave in such a similar way to the night he had come to her room when she had her nightmare. Briga did not speak but allowed herself to be held tightly by Reaver she turned herself in his hold so that she could knot her fingers into his shirt. Reaver gave a nod to his servants and they took hold of Briga's legs holding them and Charles gave a sigh but when back to work.

He cut into Briga's foot again and she gave a small cry of pain and again tried to pull away. Now that the three servants were holding her leg still and Reaver held her to his chest she could not move. Reaver gave an irritated sound has he had to tighten his hold on Briga to keep her still. Charles made a face as he worked on Briga's foot his brow furrowed with concentration and pulled something from Briga's foot.

"There is the problem there. A piece of glass was still in the wound." Charles set the shard of glass to the side and turned back to Briga's foot.

"Just going to check for more…" He muttered to himself as he went back into the wound. The next twenty minutes were filled with Reaver trying to hold Briga still as she continually tried to pull away.

"Girl stop fighting I am almost done." Charles said as he tried to get hold of Briga's foot which she moved despite the three house servants holding her leg and Reave holding onto her. This was the last real attempt to struggle she made, the tonic he had given her before they started was already wearing off and she was feeling incredibly exhausted once more. Another five minutes and Charles cut the thread that he had been sewing her wound closed with. He took a small jar and dipped a finger into it pulling out a thick salve and spread it over the stitched wound. Before wrapping it with clean bandages.

"Alright I have done what I can for now. It is a wonder that she has survived so long with an infection this bad."

"You will keep tending to her until she is better." Reaver said in a matter of fact tone as Charles began to place items back in his bag.

"I had no intention of leaving yet. There is not much I can do for her besides putting more salve on the stitches, but I will check daily to ensure she is not regressing. Do you have a supply of health potions? They will help her fight the infection."

"Yes we have already been giving her potions daily." Reaver said annoyed.

"Just one a day? No she needs at least three a day. At least standard potency." Charles said as Mary, Jeffry, and the other house servant let go of Briga who had fallen into an uneasy sleep of exhaustion.

"Jeffry, prepare a room for Charles. Mary, see to dinner." The two bowed and Mary left.

"If you would come with me sir." Jeffry said to Charles who collected his things and followed the doorman out of the room.

"Clean that mess up." Reaver said with an irritated tone as his eyes fell on the mess of leeches on the floor still. The remaining servant took a rag from his pocket and began to clean up the mess. He finished the task quickly leaving and closing the door silently behind him. Reaver gave a sigh and leaned back against the headboard looking down at the sleeping woman in his arms. Reaver was not sure that she was worth the effort but he would not know if the deal he had made would be worth it until the next time he had to send his seal to the shadow court. Currently the promise the banshees made was the only thing keeping Reaver from just letting Briga die. Though he would not admit it but having Briga around all the time was quite comforting.

Reaver was a social creature and time spent in the company of others helped him to not linger on the past. It was why he did not spend a night alone, and why he held so many parties. They were incredibly pleasurable distractions but distractions none the less.

There was a small patter starting on the window as it began to rain. Reaver was not sure how long he sat there holding Briga as she slept her head resting against his chest. It must have been a while for a soft knock came at the door and Mary opened it quietly looking in to see Reaver watching her.

"Master Reaver, dinner is prepared. Would you like to take it in here instead of the dining room?"

"No I will take dinner in the dining room." Reaver said as he pried his shirt free from Briga's hold and slid himself out from under her lowering her gingerly to rest on the bed. He gave his shirt a disapproving look as it was wrinkled from Briga's hold. As Reaver walked out of Briga's room he spoke to Mary as she followed him.

"Also invite some of my usual guests over, ensure they arrive by the time I am finished with dinner."

"Would you like them from the Rose Lamp?" Mary asked as she followed after Reaver.

"No, what would people think if all of my guests came from the Rose Lamp. Gather a few from each house. Let's make this a party shall we?"

"Yes Master Reaver." Mary said leaving him as they reached the bottom of the stairs. She went to a table near the front door and took a bag of coin from it, that was placed there for such occasions as when Reaver sent one of the servants to find him guests for his private 'parties'.

Four days and 26 prostitutes later Reaver was beginning to wonder if Briga was ever going to wake up. Charles had been administering medicines to supposedly help Briga heal but the only visible effect was that she slept nearly the entire day. Reaver walked out of his office to see Charles coming in the physician walking up the stairs either ignoring Reaver or not seeing him. It was not so much that the man did not acknowledge Reaver but the haste in which the physician moved cause suspicion.

Reaver followed silently behind the man and it was clear within moments what happened, Charles held in his hands a rather hefty bag of coins. Reaver's expression narrowed as he watched the man go into the guest room. A smirk crossed Reaver's expression as the whole ordeal became clear to him. Briga's fever had broken late the second day Charles had been there. Since then he had been giving Briga the tonic, but it was not to heal her but to cause her to sleep instead thus prolonging the stay of the physician. In that time he was able to pilfer what he could find in the mansion. The servants had not given Charles a second glance as he was expected to be moving about the house often. Leaving to purchase herbs for the salve and tending to Briga.

Reaver did not follow the man into the guest room; instead he waited in the hall and as expected Charles soon came out. Probably to attempt to pilfer more from the mansion. Charles was startled to see Reaver standing in the hall and Reaver gave a knowing smile and asked.

"So tell me, how is my pet?"

"The girl? Uhm I was actually going to check on her now. The poison in her system is taking its toll on her. She will sleep until the toxin is cleared from her system."

"Surely you remember her room is the other way."

"Uh, yes." Charles said in a nervous tone fearing he was caught. He turned and went down the hall to Briga's room and entered. Briga was partly awake as if in a daze and it took her a moment to realize that the two men had entered the room.

Charles sat at the foot of the bed and pulled the bandages off of Briga's foot examining it. He smeared more of the salve over her foot and began to wrap it again. Reaver watched intently taking note that Briga's foot was no longer swollen or red. That and her overall color had improved. Reaver suspected that if she had not been sedated she would have been up and about by now. Charles took a bottle from the side table that was the supposed sedative that he had been giving Briga.

"Tsk Tsk Tsk, you thought I would not notice."

"I am sorry what are you taking about Sir?" Charles asked pausing in what he was doing. Reaver glanced at Briga seeing that she was now more awake than when they entered the room.

"Tell me little bird, how do you feel when our dear friend Charles gives you that tonic there?" Charles turned to look at Briga realizing that she was awake for the first time. Briga closed her eyes lazily for a moment opening them again and answered softly.

"Tired. Is it morning?"

"Now I wonder why she seems to be waking after not having that tonic? So Charles tell me what is it you do that requires such scurrying?"

"Sir, the tonic is meant to make her restful so her body can focus its energy on healing. This tonic requires fresh materials so I must purchase them daily." Mary entered the room then carrying a wash basin that was filled with steaming water a wash cloth draped over one arm.

"Oh Master Reaver. Is there anything I might assist you with?" She asked as she set the basin on a table.

"Yes escort Charles to the gardens. I need to show him the herb patch." Reaver said his critical gaze not leaving Charles. The man shifted nervously but set the tonic he had been intending to give to Briga down and followed Mary from the room. Reaver was about to leave when a hand took hold of his, he looked down seeing Briga holding onto him. Briga was watching him with tired eyes and Reaver asked her quietly.

"Yes my pet?"

"Hmm…Thank you Reaver." She said his name with a soft sigh as she was trying to remain awake but was clearly drifting off to sleep once more. The moment she finished speaking her eyes drifted closed and she had fallen asleep once more. Reaver watched her for a moment and then careful to not wake her removed his hand from hers.

"I gave my word to protect you." Reaver said softly his voice little more than a whisper as he left the room. At times Briga seemed less like a Hero and more like a lost child seeking a home. What concerned Reaver about this realization was that he wanted her to make his mansion her home. He wanted her to feel comfortable in these halls, yet he had a sneaking feeling that she would never come to call the mansion home.

_What is she to me? She is not my lover. We are too casual with each other to consider her as one of my servants, yet we are not so casual as to think of her as a formal guest. What a mess this is. _

Reaver walked out to the gardens which were in fact there behind the house that however was not the only thing behind the house. Reaver found Charles standing there nervously with Mary who was calm and waiting for Reaver.

"You can go now." Reaver said to Mary who nodded and left sparing a look at Charles, it would be the last time she saw the physician. She did not even get half way to the house when a gun shot rang out. Mary flinched reflexively and turned to see Charles fall to the ground. She was not sure why Reaver killed the man but she would not question it, Reaver did what he felt like doing and had no qualms about shooting those who questioned it. So Mary just continued onto the house and went to make some tea.

Later that night Reaver had his staff clear out the guest room and was a bit surprised by the number of small items Charles had taken from around the house. There was a great deal of the silver ware and several bags of gold stuffed away in various places of the room. Reaver gave a sigh and asked one of the house guards.

"Did you feed Marcus?"

"Yes sir, a healthy meal all be it a little fatty." The guard said with a grin as he picked up the medical bag the physician brought with him to remove it from the house. Reaver smiled slightly, it was a fitting end for the thief to have his body fed to a balvarine.

~O~

Hammer trudged through Wraith's Marsh with Fluffykins the hound having refused to stay with Theresa and Garth when Hammer left. She supposed that Fluffykins was hers now that Sparrow was dead as sad thought but true.

Hammer took a step forward and felt a sudden falling sensation as her leg sank to her knee in the muddy ground. With a grimace she used her hammer to once again free herself of the mud pits. She had fallen into perhaps two dozen of the holes and was quite positively covered in mud. Fluffykins sat on a rock waiting for Hammer to free herself of the mud.

"Oh sure you know all the right places to walk don't you?" Fluffykins did not give her any reaction only waited for her. That is how it was now, the dog was always impassive. Fluffykins would defend when needed but would not search for treasure, or play. No those were things that Fluffykins had done with Sparrow; no other would due for such activities. It was no surprise then that the dog was never happy, that it always had a sad sort of look in his eyes.

When Hammer finally pulled herself from the mud she went to where Fluffykins sat and said down to the hound.

"Alright you. Why don't you lead the way since you haven't got a spot of mud on you?" Fluffykins gave a snort and took off padding his way through the marsh. He led Hammer for quite a ways before pausing his nose sniffing along a broken fence.

"What is it boy?" Hammer asked and it was not after that moment that Fluffykins took off running through the marsh.

"Hey wait! Fluffykins!" Hammer called after the dog as she tried to follow but she was not as swift or surefooted as the hound and soon lost the animal in the fog.

"Blast it! Where did he go?" Hammer muttered to herself as she tried to follow after the dog still.

Fluffykins had caught her scent, his Mistress had been here, somewhere in this marsh. He raced through the ruins of the old town past hollow men who barely realized the dog had passed. Somewhere, somewhere, but where? Fluffykins sniffed about again in haste searching for the scent of his Mistress again. She had to be here, he would not mistake her scent for anyone else it was her.

Hours passed as Hammer wandered through the marsh searching for Fluffykins, occasionally she was rewarded with the sight of a paw print in the mud but she never saw the dog. Any sort of following she had done was always set back by having to stop and destroy the hollow men that seemed to be never ending within the swamp. This also made following Fluffykins near impossible for fighting left a terrible mess of any tracks that had been waiting to be seen. The moon was high in the sky when Hammer heard a whine from a dog. It came from a ruined building, the door hanging open broken. The window had been boarded up and the roof was partly caved in. She entered the building to see Fluffykins laying on an old broken bed that was piled high with blankets. About the house was some furnishings that were in relatively good condition. There was a pie safe that had stale bread and cheese inside along with some bottles of considerably clean water. A dresser that held a variety of clean clothing, mostly shirts and trousers. A hair brush sat on a night table along with a candle and some matches.

It occurred to Hammer that someone had been living here, and it looked like they had been there for quite some time too as there were signs of repair work on the house. Fluffykins looked up at Hammer with sad eyes and whined again.

"Come on now. This is somebody's home we cant be here." She said urging the dog to get up but Fluffykins would not move.

"What? You think whoever lives here will be wanting us hanging around their home? Come on." Hammer tried once more to move the dog, Fluffykins growled at her this time as Hammer had given the dog a nudge to try and get it out of the bed.

"Fine! We will stay here till whoever lives here comes back. I could do with a break anyway, I am covered in mud and who knows what else." Fluffykins wasn't looking at Hammer anymore though, his eyes were fixed on the door. Watching and waiting. The house was filled with the scent of his Mistress. Though it was old it was still strong, it was no question that his Mistress had slept in this bed for a long time. Laying on the moth eaten blankets surrounded by his Mistress's scent was a comfort for Fluffykins, a comfort that he had long been without. Since his Mistress had left him Hammer had closed up her house and none had been there in years. Even after she was supposed to come home Hammer would not open the house up and Fluffykins was unable to go in and be surrounded by his Mistresses scent. Fluffykins regretted losing his red ball the day that man came back without his Mistress. It was perhaps the only thing he had wanted those past months. The ball held so many fond memories and it was gone too.

~O~

The Commandant walked through the echoing halls of the Spire with a lightness to his step. To say that he was please was an understatement. He had just left Lord Lucien and had his orders. Rumor had it that The Hero of Skill and The Hero of Will were in the same place. Lucien was concerned about this, he feared the hero's rising up and preventing him from recreating the world. Commandant however saw this as a way to redeem himself for allowing the Hero of Will to escape in the first place. He would take one of the great shards of the spire and capture both hero's at once. Then he would only have to find the Hero of Strength and his master would have all that would remake the world. If Commandant delivered all three heros then he would feel confident in asking Lord Lucien for one thing when he remade the world. Indeed Commandant had only one wish, one that could be granted with barely a passing thought from his Lord.

(not too much to say for this chapter, ya know trying to decide where I want to take this and how. The normal stuff. Please review)


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